Man arrested after boy, 3, ‘thrown’ into crocodile enclosure at Cambridgeshire zoo

The boy was taken to hospital with serious injuries and is currently in critical but stable condition after the incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst Zoo

A three-year-old boy has been rushed to hospital with critical injuries after a man is believed to have thrown him into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo in Cambridgeshire.

Police were called to the scene at Johnsons of Old Hurst Zoo in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire at around 1:30pm on Thursday following reports a young boy had ended up in the crocodile enclosure and suffered serious injuries.

A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was later arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The boy was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where he is is “critical but stable” condition, while his family are being supported by specialist officers.

The man and child are not believed to be known to each other, Cambridgeshire Constabulary said.

Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty said: “I am aware of the incident at Johnson’s of Old Hurst and have been liaising with senior officers at Gold Command who are treating this as a critical incident.

“This is now a live criminal investigation and I would ask people to refrain from speculation online. The police will provide an update with further information in due course.

“My thoughts are with the young victim and his family during a hugely traumatic and difficult time.”

Detective Inspector Verity McCann added: “At this stage we are speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time of this distressing incident to understand more about the circumstances.

“We do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other. Officers are supporting the boy’s family at hospital, and our thoughts remain with them.”

A local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the zoo owner’s wife, Tracey Johnson, leapt into the enclosure in an attempt to rescue the youngster. A villager said: “Apparently, the wife of the zoo owner, Tracey Johnson, jumped in to the enclosure to save the child.”

According to its website Johnson’s of Old Hurst is a family-run farming business that now features a butchers, a farm shop, tea room, steakhouse and zoo. The zoo is home to more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers, sloth bears, capybaras, meerkats and crocodiles.

A blog post on the zoo’s website says the crocodiles were initially kept to help dispose of waste meat from the butchery, but they went on to be the start of a zoo. The crocodiles are kept in a converted cattle barn, which has metal-fenced elevated walkways looking down on large pools of water surrounded by tropical vegetation.

A uniformed police officer was at an entrance to the site on Thursday evening, with a marked police car parked in the car park. A police van, with scientific services written on the side, was seen driving out shortly before 8pm.

Johnsons of Old Hurst said in a statement: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family following the incident that occurred today.

“Out of respect to the family, our Tropical House will remain closed until further notice. If you have any questions about the incident, please direct enquiries to Cambridgeshire Police Constabulary. The rest of the site will remain open as normal.”

The zoo is off a leafy rural lane with residential properties along it in the village of Old Hurst, with a tearoom, farm shop and steakhouse also at the zoo site. The crocodiles are kept inside a tropical house building, and there are also other animals in outdoor enclosures.

One local said: “It’s such a shock. You would never think something like this would happen here. The owners are wonderful people. I don’t think they’re in any way to blame for this. It’s so sad to hear. I hope the boy will be OK.”

A near neighbour of a zoo described hearing a “lot of sirens” then an air ambulance arriving. The man, who asked not to be named, said the incident at Johnson’s of Old Hurst in Cambridgeshire was “shocking”.

Mike Annicelli, 52, who also lives close to the zoo, said he had previously visited the attraction and had felt safe. Describing the crocodile enclosure, he said: “Everything is elevated, you’re far away from the animals.”

He said there was a “raised platform” and estimated the crocodiles were about 15ft below and that there was fencing along walkways which he estimated was around 4ft high. “Because of the way that railing’s set up it would be hard for a kid to climb over it, like a small kid,” he said.

Local councillor Charlotte Lowe said she “can’t fathom” how a three-year-old boy ended up in a crocodile enclosure at Johnson’s of Old Hurst zoo. Speaking outside the attraction on Thursday evening, the Huntingdonshire District Council councillor for Warboys ward said: “I can’t fathom how it’s happened because they’ve got all the right protection and safety equipment, for want of a better word, in there.”

She continued: “This incident, I think it’s shocked an awful lot of people, especially the locals.”

Source:  https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/boy-3-thrown-crocodile-enclosure-37316474