Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo near Huntingdon has reopened its entire site, including the crocodile attraction, just nine days after a three-year-old boy was allegedly thrown into a 15ft-deep enclosure and attacked by a reptile. The zoo announced on June 27 that the whole site would be fully open as of the weekend.
Incident details and rescue
The boy sustained serious injuries after being thrown into the crocodile pit. He was rescued by the zoo owner's wife, Tracey, who jumped into the enclosure. Chris Newman, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, told the BBC that Tracey's husband Andy and their youngest son Edward also participated in the rescue.
Suspect and carers
A mentally disabled man who broke away from his carers was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He was released on bail after being deemed unfit for interview by police. A witness reported that the suspect had two carers who were on their phones and not paying attention. The witness said: 'I don't know if it was definitely him but I saw one bloke of a bigger build; he had two carers with him and they weren't paying him much attention. If it was him, his carers were maybe ten metres behind him and not paying much attention. They were English and chatting among themselves and on their phones.'
Investigation and data breach
The suspect has been bailed until September 18. Additionally, an investigation has been launched after up to 40 staff at Addenbrooke's Hospital accessed the boy's medical details. Cambridge University Hospitals said it was exploring why so many people accessed the records and has referred itself to the Information Commissioner's Office.
