A three-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after being thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo in the United Kingdom this Thursday. He was taken by helicopter to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with serious injuries.
The boy ended up being saved by the zoo owner’s wife who jumped into the enclosure. Medical teams went to the scene to provide first aid, but ended up transporting the victim by helicopter to a hospital.
The boy suffered fractures in an arm and pelvisis in a critical but stable situation, according to authorities. The family is receiving psychological support.
According to , the 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and officers believe the man and the victim were not connected.
“At this stage, we are speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time of this distressing incident, to better understand the circumstances,” said the chief inspector Verity McCannfrom Cambridgeshire Police.
According to The Sun newspaper, the suspect is “an adult with cognitive impairment who has a caretaker, but apparently she wasn’t watching him at the time,” says an anonymous source. The man was participating in a day trip to the zoo.
In a statement, Johnsons Zoo said that the space where the crocodiles are kept will remain closed. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family following this incident.”
This zoo has more than 100 animalsamong tigers, lions, bears, meerkats and crocodiles. The latter were acquired to feed on leftover meat from the butcher’s shop, but ended up becoming one of the most interesting points for visitors.
The zoo has 10 species of crocodiles exposed in an area where visitors can view the animals through a platform suspended over the water.
