30-Year-Old Man Arrested for Attempted Murder After 3-Year-Old Injured in Crocodile Enclosure

A 3-year-old boy “ended up in the crocodile enclosure” at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a zoo, farm shop and cafe in eastern England, and police said he sustained “serious injuries” and was in a “critical but stable” condition at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in nearby Cambridge.

“Man arrested after 3-year-old boy critically injured in crocodile enclosure: Police The "distressing incident" occurred at Johnsons of Old Hurst, police said”

ABC News

Cambridgeshire Constabulary said a 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and detectives from its major crime unit were investigating the incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst.

ABC News

Detective Inspector Verity McCann 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,” as officers supported the boy’s family at the hospital.

Police also said they “do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other,” while the force investigated whether the child was attacked by the animals.

Cambridgeshire Police said officers were called to Johnsons of Old Hurst at around 1.24pm on Thursday after reports of an incident involving a young boy, and the boy was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital with serious injuries.

Detective Inspector Verity McCann told reporters, “We do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other,” and she said officers were speaking to people at the zoo to understand more about the circumstances.

BBC

The zoo’s statement said, “Out of respect to the family, our Tropical House will remain closed until further notice,” and it directed enquiries to Cambridgeshire Police Constabulary.

Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty said, “This is now a live criminal investigation and I would ask people to refrain from speculation online,” while he said he was liaising with senior officers at Gold Command treating it as a critical incident.

Police said the case remains under investigation, including whether the child was attacked by the animals, after a 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.

“Police in eastern England said Thursday a man had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a 3-year-old boy "ended up in the crocodile enclosure" at a zoo”

CBS News

The boy’s condition was described as “critical but stable” after he was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, and specially trained officers were supporting the boy’s family at the hospital.

Johnsons of Old Hurst said its Tropical House would remain closed “until further notice,” while the rest of the site would remain open as normal, as police continued to investigate the circumstances.

Cambridgeshire County Council said, “Our thoughts are with the victim and their family, but, as this is a live police investigation, we cannot comment any further,” leaving the next steps dependent on police updates.