Boy, three, 'attacked by at least one crocodile' after being 'thrown into zoo pit by man with learning difficulties who broke away from carers' - as suspect 'not fit for interview' is bailed

A three-year-old boy was attacked by at least one crocodile after being tossed into a reptile pit at a British zoo by a stranger with learning difficulties – who has already been released from police custody.

The 30-year-old suspect from Norfolk, who did not know the victim, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder.

But less than 24 hours after the attack, he has been released on bail until September 18 after being assessed as ‘not fit for interview’ by detectives, police said today.

The attacker is a ‘mentally disabled’ man who was at the zoo on an organised day out with at least two carers, according to several locals.

Tearful witnesses described seeing the child suffer a broken arm and pelvis before the owner’s ‘heroic’ wife Tracey Johnson leapt in to rescue him from the jaws of the animals.

Other parents in the zoo with their children said they heard a blood-curdling scream from the crocodile enclosure. 

A mother who asked not to be named said: 'We sat there and heard a loud scream. Never in a million years did I think someone was in with the crocodiles.

'We saw the air ambulance come over within about 10 minutes. They held up a white sheet in between the farm shop and the cafe so no one could see what was happening.  My daughter was oblivious. The little boy was only three and my daughter is two, it could have been her.'

The boy had been on an elevated walkway admiring at least 15 crocodiles and alligators when he was apparently lifted over a 4ft safety fence and hurled 15ft down into the enclosure.

He was then attacked by at least one crocodile, multiple sources said. There are more than a dozen crocodiles and alligators in the enclosure, including two large Nile crocodiles called Romeo and Cuddles. Both measure between 9ft and 11ft, with Romeo, the male, weighing up to 485lbs.

An expert has said he believes the boy will have landed on a concrete surface and may have rolled into the water at around 1.20pm yesterday. He said the crocodiles are 'well fed' but would 'snap' at any human who landed near them suddenly.

Chris Newman, 67, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, who is a friend of the owners Andy and Tracey Johnson, said: 'I wouldn't expect them to eat a child, but it would bite a child if it landed on it or by it. That's where the trouble would come - they have such a powerful bite. Even an investigatory bite would be catastrophic.'

Witnesses said owner Tracey Johnson sprinted in and pulled the child to safety. She and her husband Andy were seen chatting at the zoo today as police sealed off the enclosure and spoke to staff.

A Cambridgeshire Police spokesman said on Friday morning: 'A three-year-old boy from Cambridgeshire remains in Addenbrooke's Hospital in a critical but stable condition, following an incident at Johnson’s of Old Hurst yesterday

'A 30-year-old man from Norfolk, arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, has been released on bail while detectives from our Major Crime Unit conduct further enquiries regarding this incident. The man, who is not known to the victim, was assessed as not being fit for interview.

'Officers were called to the zoo at 1.24pm by the ambulance service to reports that a three-year-old boy had suffered serious injuries.

'The boy, who sustained serious injuries while in the enclosure, was pulled out by staff from the zoo and received medical treatment at the scene before being taken to hospital.'

The incident has chilling echoes of an incident at the Tate Modern in London in 2019 when a six-year-old French tourist was hurled from an outdoor viewing platform. 

He somehow survived the 100ft fall but suffered life-changing injuries.

Disturbed teenager Jonty Bravery was jailed for life with a minimum term of 15 years in 2020 for attempted murder.

He is being held at Broadmoor, a high-security psychiatric hospital in Berkshire.

The boy had been looking at the reptiles when he was thrown around 15ft from an elevated viewing platform into the Johnsons of Old Hurst tropical house near Huntingdon.

At least one crocodile attacked him, sources confirmed.

Mr Newman, who has housed crocodiles at the zoo and spent time inside the enclosure, believes he probably landed on a concrete surface and then rolled into the water and confirmed that if the child fell next to a crocodile, he will have been immediately bitten.

He said: 'If a child landed next to a crocodile, I absolutely would expect that animal to react and snap.

'You couldn't fall or be pushed into it - you would have to be thrown.'

He also said of owner Tracey Johnson, who jumped into the enclosure to help rescue the boy: 'Knowing Tracey, it comes as no surprise that she acted this way - that's exactly what she would do. She's a very courageous and brave lady. She has been incredibly heroic. It's nothing more than I would expect from her.

'She's a very strong lady. I know it would have been incredibly difficult. It's about a fifteen foot drop, so to get in there that quickly and save the child is an incredible act of bravery.

Mr Newman said the attraction is a family-run operation involving 'a mum and dad, two sons and a daughter-in-law'.

He said the enclosure was so secure that a child could only have ended up inside if they had been deliberately thrown, adding: 'It's a large tropical house with a raised walkway which is about 15ft down.

'The crocodiles would be on the ground floor and there's a walkway all the way around the perimeter, with vertical and horizontal safety barriers.'

He also described the venue as 'a fantastic zoo' where 'public safety is a huge part' of the operation.

This morning a resident close to the zoo said: 'Tracey and the other staff were incredibly brave.

'They all stayed very calm and she went down into the enclosure and was able to rescue the little boy quickly before the crocodiles could harm him.

'Both she and Andy are very experienced and responsible zoo keepers and wlll both be mortified by what has happened.'

The owners last night said their 'thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family'.

'Out of respect, our tropical house will remain closed until further notice. The rest of the site will remain open,' Mr Johnson said in a statement.

The couple are highly experienced animal handlers and have previously been pictured transporting 400lb crocodiles by hand with zoo staff.

The incident unfolded in front of horrified visitors inside the tropical reptile house at Johnsons of Old Hurst, near Huntingdon.

The zoo is run by fourth-generation farmer Mr Johnson, his wife and their sons, George and Edward.

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 zoo is now home to more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers, sloth bears, capybaras, and meerkats. 

In an interview with The Sun in 2019, Mr Johnson spoke of various crocodiles, including Cuddles and her brother Romeo.

He said: 'Cuddles isn't that cuddly. She took my fingers a few weeks ago.' 

He added of Romeo: 'He loves the back of his leg being tickled - all the skin around their belly and legs is soft.

'He can't reach that bit. It keeps him calm.'

Police refused to be drawn on how the child ended up in the enclosure. They are understood to be investigating whether he was attacked by the animals before being pulled out.

A neighbour of the zoo, who asked not to be named, described hearing a 'lot of sirens' then an air ambulance arriving.

Father-of-two Mike Annicelli, 52, who also lives close to the zoo, described the crocodile enclosure, saying: 'Everything is elevated, you're far away from the animals.

'There are some areas which have plastic glass so people can look through – but there is also 4ft fencing around the walkway so it is impossible for people to fall in accidentally.

'Because of the way that railing's set up it would be hard for a kid to climb over it, like a small kid.'

One villager said they saw staff at the zoo hugging each other and some were in tears after the incident.

Local councillor Charlotte Lowe, 52, said: 'I can't fathom how this happened. There is all sorts of protection at the zoo including perspex screens.

'The only place where people can get over into the enclosure is the walkways which have fencing around them at chest height.

'I don't see how a child could have gone in accidentally.'

Two police cars were parked outside the zoo entrance last night as a uniformed officer stood guard at the main gate just a few yards from the farmhouse home of Mr and Mrs Johnson.

Mr Johnson, 56, became fascinated with crocodilians during a trip to Florida and adopted several from a private collector.

The site now is said to have a collection of around 50 crocodiles and alligators which are mainly used as an environmentally friendly way of getting rid of dead livestock.

The zoo's website states its tropical house, a converted barn, is home to American alligator, broad-snouted caiman, Cuvier's dwarf caiman, Morelet's crocodile, Nile crocodile, saltwater crocodile, Siamese crocodile, spectacled caiman and West African dwarf crocodile. 

The largest of these species is the saltwater crocodile, which is found between India and Australia and can grow up to 20ft long and weigh 3,300lbs – half the weight of a large SUV.

About half of the planet's 23 species of crocodilians are considered dangerous to humans with the Nile crocodile and the saltwater crocodile responsible for the vast majority of human fatalities.

On Wednesday, the zoo marked International Crocodile Day by posting a picture on social media of one of its inhabitants.

The caption read: 'Crocodilians are at the very core of our history, our passion and the journey that has shaped Johnsons Zoological Gardens into what it is today.

'These incredible animals have inspired generations of our family and continue to fascinate visitors from all over the country.'

A Cambridgeshire Constabulary spokesman said: 'Officers were called to the zoo at 1.24pm to reports of an incident involving a three-year-old boy, during which he ended up in the crocodile enclosure.

'The boy has been taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital [in Cambridge] with serious injuries and is critical but stable. Officers are at the hospital supporting the boy's family. A 30-year-old man from Norfolk has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.'

Detective Inspector Verity McCann, of the force's major crime unit, said: '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.'

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Darryl Preston, said: 'My thoughts go out to the family of the little boy involved in this truly horrific incident. I can only begin to imagine the trauma those involved are going through.

'While I have been fully briefed by the Chief Constable (Simon Megicks, Cambridgeshire Constabulary), I would like to remind everyone that this is an ongoing operational issue and therefore I am not able to comment any further at this stage.'

A Huntingdonshire District Council spokesman said: 'We are aware of the serious incident that has taken place today at Johnson's of Old Hurst.

'Our thoughts are with the young boy and his family at this very difficult time.

'We are working closely with partners, including Cambridgeshire Police.

'We urge people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding this incident while inquiries are ongoing.'