Family of boy, 3, thrown into crocodile enclosure issue health update after more than two months in hospital
The three-year-old boy who suffered serious injuries after ending up in a crocodile enclosure at a UK zoo has finally been released from hospital.
His family previously discussed how they had been 'living at the hospital' in wake of the harrowing incident at Johnson's Zoo in Cambridgeshire on 18 June.
The youngster has undergone a host of operations in the weeks since then, but now, he is finally back at home - with his loved ones saying he is now back 'playing with his toys, sleeping in his own bed and being a big brother'.
Relatives of the little lad have been sharing updates on his progress on a GoFundMe page that was launched to support the family, which has gone on to raise a whopping £114,013.
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The latest post from his parents explained that he was discharged from hospital a few weeks ago. However, he still faces a long road to recovery.
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the incident at the zoo, which is situated near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.
He was later bailed as police said he was 'assessed as not being fit for interview'. The suspect in the case reportedly has learning difficulties and had been on a trip with carers, and an investigation has been launched into his care.
In an update shared on GoFundMe, the three-year-old's family said it was great to be back at home after spending endless nights in hospital.
The post said: "We have been spending some time adjusting and settling back in at home. He is happy to be home, playing with his toys, sleeping in his own bed and being a big brother.
"It is nice to have us all back together in the comfort of our own home. Now that we are home, our son’s rehabilitation journey continues and we can focus on ensuring our son has the best possible chance at recovery."
'Focusing on rehabilitation at home'
"Both of us will continue to stay by our son’s side as we support him on his rehabilitation journey," it went on. "We attend the hospital frequently to find out the next steps and we work on them together as a family.
"All of his immediate surgeries are over with for now, which means we can now focus on rehabilitation at home."
The parents then explained that the money donated to the fundraiser so far is being spent on 'immediate costs, such as our bills and mortgage'.
"It has also allowed us to cover our loss of wages during this time," the post went on. "We have bought and gifted new toys to PICU and the children’s play team on the ward. He was very fond of the play team and they helped him be a little three-year-old boy by inventing new games and teaching him new ways to use his feet in play."
The family of the little boy have also donated to The Sick Children's Trust, a charity which assisted them during their child's hospital stay.
"They provide accommodation on site to house the family so that they can be by their child’s side," the post said. "This charity allowed both of us to stay at the hospital whilst our son was an inpatient there.
"We are still wanting to donate to the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) to say thank you to all the staff who were involved in our son’s care including the supply of superhero costumes to brighten up his day.
"In the best interests of our son, we are not releasing any identifying features and anticipate only updating this page further if there is something meaningful to say. But we thank each and every one of you who has shown such kindness and generosity during what has been a considerable ordeal for us all. We hope the money we have raised can continue to help us as a family and contribute towards the charities and people who have helped support us. "We hope that the donations we are making help pass on that support to others in need. Thank you from all our family."
Olivia Burke