Three-Year-Old Critically Injured After Falling Into Crocodile Enclosure at Cambridgeshire Zoo
A toddler was attacked by a crocodile at Johnsons of Old Hurst near Huntingdon and is in critical but stable condition; a 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and later bailed.
A three-year-old boy was seriously injured on Thursday after entering the crocodile enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a farm-based zoo near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Zoo staff rescued the child and provided first-aid before he was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he remains in critical but stable condition.
Cambridgeshire Police arrested a 30-year-old man from Norfolk on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the incident. The suspect was later bailed and is listed as unfit for interview. Police said they are still determining how long the child was inside the enclosure and have not seized or killed any of the crocodiles.
Detective Inspector Verity McCann said investigations are ongoing and that specialist officers are supporting the boy’s family. A witness reported seeing a man accompanied by two women with lanyards near the crocodile house shortly before the attack, but police do not believe the arrested man and the child are known to each other.
Johnson’s spokesperson expressed sympathy for the family and said the Tropical House, which contains the crocodile enclosure, was closed out of respect. The zoo, which operates a farm shop, tea room and other attractions, remains open otherwise.
Huntingdonshire District Council confirmed the facility is fully licensed, with its licence renewed in 2024 after a statutory inspection. The council noted no prior safety-related incidents at the crocodile enclosure and said its environmental health team is reviewing the case.
The National Centre for Reptile Welfare explained that crocodiles may bite when startled and praised the actions of staff member Tracey Johnson, who intervened during the incident but was not injured.