Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after toddler found in zoo crocodile enclosure
Police in Cambridgeshire detained a 30-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder after a three-year-old boy was discovered in a crocodile enclosure, sustaining serious injuries.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary announced that a 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a three-year-old child was found inside the crocodile enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a farm shop and zoo located about 20 miles northwest of Cambridge. The boy was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with serious injuries and was described as being in a critical but stable condition. Police said detectives from the major crime unit are investigating the incident, and specially trained officers are supporting the child’s family at the hospital.
"At this stage we are speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time of this 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."
Johnsons of Old Hurst is a family-run business that includes a butcher, farm shop, tea room, steakhouse and a zoo housing over 100 animals such as lions, tigers, sloth bears, capybaras, meerkats and crocodiles. No further details about how the child entered the enclosure or the source of his injuries have been released.