Man bailed after three-year-old boy attacked by crocodile at Cambridgeshire zoo
Quick Look
- A 30-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a three-year-old boy was attacked by a crocodile at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo in Cambridgeshire has been bailed until September.
- The boy remains in critical but stable condition in hospital after sustaining serious injuries "while in the enclosure".
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Why It Matters
A three-year-old boy was attacked by a crocodile at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo in Cambridgeshire. A man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but has since been bailed.
A man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a three-year-old boy was attacked by a crocodile at a zoo has been bailed.
Cambridgeshire Police said the 30-year-old was not fit for police interview and bailed him until September.
The boy was attacked by at least one crocodile, the BBC understands.
He remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being injured at Johnsons of Old Hurst, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on Thursday.
Police said he sustained serious injuries "while in the enclosure" and was pulled out by staff from the zoo and received medical treatment at the scene before being taken to hospital.
Det Insp Verity McCann said: "Our enquiries are ongoing as we continue to understand the circumstances surrounding this distressing incident.
"Our thoughts remain with the boy, and his family and specialist officers continue to support them through this difficult time."
A spokesperson for Johnsons said on Thursday its thoughts and prayers were with the boy and his family.
They added the site's Tropical House, which contains the crocodile enclosure, had been closed "out of respect to the family".
Zoo staff were seen arriving at the site earlier and it is due to open at 10:00.
They are kept in a converted cattle barn, which has metal-fenced elevated walkways looking down on large pools of water surrounded by tropical vegetation.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first farm shop, a new museum at the site was due to open with a special weekend event starting on Saturday. It is unclear if the opening will go ahead.
On Thursday, police said they were speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time of the incident.
"We do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other," a police spokesperson said.
Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty urged people to "refrain from speculation online" and said police were treating it as a "critical incident".
A Magpas Air Ambulance spokesperson said a critical care team attended the incident at 13:42 and "treated one patient at the scene before taking them to hospital".
Open Questions
- How did the boy get into the enclosure?
- What led to the attack?
- Will the museum opening go ahead?
