Investigation launched after family of boy, 3, 'thrown into crocodile enclosure' issue health update
An investigation has been launched after a three-year-old boy was allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo.
A 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder on June 18 following the incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst in Cambridgeshire in the UK which saw the child in an enclosure that housed at least 15 crocodiles.
Following his arrest the man, who has a learning disability has since been released on bail after police found that he was unfit to be interviewed.
Now, Norfolk County Council has said that they are conducting an investigation into the that was being given to the suspect at the time of the incident.
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The investigation is a Section 42 inquiry and will determine if the man could have been subject to or at risk of abuse or neglect in the care, and the council told The Telegraph that it is currently not referring people to the care provider involved.
A spokesperson for Norfolk County Council said in a statement that it is now working alongside 'partners in the health and care system to identify and review all those individuals receiving care from this provider and to ensure the care they are receiving is of the quality and consistency they expect and deserve'.
The care was reportedly not paid for or commissioned by Norfolk County Council.
The zoo's owners Andy and Tracey Johnson have said that the incident was 'one of the most distressing' things to have happened there.
A statement from them said: "We were alerted to reports 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.
"Within minutes of the first radio call, the child had been rescued from the enclosure and was receiving first aid.
"The emergency services arrived very quickly, supported by the MAGPAS Air Ambulance.
"We cannot thank them enough for their professionalism, compassion and dedication in such difficult circumstances.
"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."
Mrs Johnson had also leapt into the enclosure, joined by Mr Johnson as well as the couple's son Edward.
The boy's family have also issued an update saying that he has had five surgeries since the incident.
The statement said: "We are extremely grateful for everyone’s generosity. We could never thank you enough for the support you have given our family in this horrible time.
"We have been living at the hospital for 2 weeks now and our son has undergone 5 surgeries.
"At this moment in time we know that our son is to undergo at least two more surgeries, one of those surgeries being a nerve reconstruction in his arm.
"These last two weeks have been a very uncertain and unsettling time."
Kit Roberts