A 3-year-old boy is in critical condition after a man allegedly threw him in a crocodile enclosure at a zoo. According to the Sun, the incident happened in Huntingdon, England. The town is 15 miles south-east of Cambridge.
Police officers scrambled to Johnsons of Old Hurst after the incident, where a 30-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. According to the BBC, the incident happened at around 1:30pm local time on June 18.
The child is described as being in a critical but stable condition. He was transported to Addenbroke's hospital via Air Ambulance, which arrived at 1:42pm.
A spokesperson for the Magpas Air Ambulance explained that a critical care team "treated one patient at the scene before taking them to hospital."
Detective Inspector Verity McCann of the Cambridgeshire Police said that "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."
She added that "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."
The area's Member of Parliament, Ben Obese-Jecty, also added, "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. The police will provide an update with further information in due course."
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The Zoo Also Released a Statement About the Crocodile Incident
Johnson's of Old Hurst also released a statement. They confirmed that their "Tropical House" will remain closed until further notice, out of "respect to the family."
They did also confirm that "the rest of the site will remain open as normal."
The crocodiles' enclosure featured a "raised platform" where visitors could look down on the crocodiles. Local resident and frequent visitor to the zoo Mike Annicelli explained there was a 15ft drop between the walkway and the crocodiles.
However, the walkways have been described as "secure", and it isn't fully clear of the events which happened in the lead-up to the tragic incident.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family.
