Johnsons of Old Hurst: Zoo owners Andy and Tracey Johnson speak after 3yo allegedly thrown in crocodile pen
They described the terrifying event as ‘one of the most distressing incidents’ in the zoo’s history.
The owners of a zoo where a three-year-old was allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure have spoken out about the incident for the first time.
The incident occurred on June 18 at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a zoo located in Huntingdon, about 100 kilometres north of London.
The child was allegedly picked up and “thrown” into an animal enclosure by a man not known to him.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Cambridgeshire Police attended the zoo in Huntingdon around 1pm to find he was attacked by at least one crocodile, according to the BBC
Zoo staff removed the boy from the crocodile pen and he was given medical treatment at the scene before being rushed to hospital, where he remains.
On Thursday, zoo owners Andy and Tracey Johnson shared details of the horrifying incident in a social media post.
“A fortnight ago, our family and team at Johnsons of Old Hurst experienced one of the most distressing incidents in our history,” it read.
“We were alerted to reports that a child had allegedly been thrown into one of our crocodile enclosures in the Tropical House.
“Everyone who was on site that day acted with incredible speed and determination.”
They said that the child was rescued from the enclosure “within minutes” of the first radio call for first aid administration and that emergency services were quick to arrive.
The Johnsons thanked first responders for their “professionalism, compassion and dedication” in “such difficult circumstances”.
“We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to the visitors who stepped forward to help, including off-duty paramedics and police officers, whose calm and immediate actions made a real difference,” they said.
“We are immensely proud of our own staff who responded without hesitation and did everything they could to help and support the child until the emergency services took over.”
In the statement, the Johnsons said they had been overwhelmed by public support and kindness.
“Every message of support, every kind word and every expression of concern has meant a great deal to our family and our team during an incredibly difficult time,” they said.
“Thank you for standing with us.”
“Above all, our thoughts remain with the young boy and his family.
“We continue to hope and pray for his speedy recovery and ask that they are given the privacy, compassion and support they need at this time.”
On its website, the zoo says it “houses over 100 fascinating animals”, including crocodiles, lions and a Bengal tiger.
It is understood that the crocodile enclosure is housed in a converted cattle barn with elevated walkways.
The website also laid out the family-owned farm’s interest in conservation had led to a fascination with crocodiles.
“We are hoping to continue to develop our crocodile farm here at Johnsons of Old Hurst to be a part of this remarkable conservation effort,” it read.
It became the UK’s first crocodile farm in 2006.
The statement from the zoo comes a day after the child’s devastated family spoke out for the first time, confirming that their son remained in hospital care.
“We would like to thank the staff at the zoo who rescued our son from the enclosure,” they wrote, as published by The Mirror.
“We are truly grateful for the public support and well-wishes we have received, as well as to everyone who has been directly involved in our son’s care and recovery in hospital.
“Our attention remains focused on his recovery and supporting him through this extremely challenging and prolonged period of time.”
The child’s grandmother has launched a GoFundMe which has raised more than £23,000 ($A44,364).
Funds raised will go towards supporting the toddler’s recovery and provide financial stability for the family, with excess money being donated to the Addebrooke’s Trust to help families at the same hospital facing similar challenges.
Police arrested a 30-year-old British man on suspicion of attempted murder soon after the incident.
The man, reported to have learning disabilities, was released on bail after being deemed unfit for interview by the police.
Police said they believed the man was not known to the child and he was visiting the zoo with carers.
