3-year-old critically injured after man allegedly tosses him into crocodile enclosure at zoo

HUNTINGDON, England (LifeSiteNews) — A three-year-old boy is in critical condition after allegedly being thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo in England, where a man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

On June 18, a three-year-old boy was seriously injured after being tossed into the crocodile enclosure by a stranger at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a family-run zoo near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, England. The child was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where he remains in critical but stable condition.

A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder as detectives began investigating the circumstances surrounding the case. He has since been released on bail, according to the Telegraph, “after police deemed him unfit for interview.”

“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,” Detective Inspector Verity McCann said. “We do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other.”

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Police have not revealed details about the attacker and have not publicly explained how the child came to be inside the enclosure. Investigators are continuing to gather witness accounts from people who were present at the zoo when the incident occurred. Authorities have also said they are “examining” whether the boy was attacked by any of the crocodiles housed in the exhibit.

Andy Johnson, who operates the zoo, told the BBC that his wife, Tracey Johnson, entered the enclosure in an attempt to assist the injured child. A report from The Independent similarly stated that she jumped into the enclosure during the incident.

According to The Sun, the boy suffered a broken arm and pelvis. Furthermore, according to the same source, the attacker “has learning difficulties” and a requires a carer.

Huntingdon Member of Parliament Ben Obese-Jecty described the case as a “critical incident” and urged members of the public not to speculate while the investigation remains active. “This is now a live criminal investigation and I would ask people to refrain from speculation online,” he said in a public statement online.

The zoo also released a statement following the incident. A post published online by the organization states their “thoughts and prayers” are with the child and his family. The Tropical House building, which contains the crocodile enclosure, has been shut until further notice “out of respect to the family,” they stated, while the “rest of the site will remain open as normal.”