Family thanks staff after boy survives crocodile enclosure attack
The boy remains in hospital after a crocodile enclosure attack, while his family praised the staff who pulled him out and police probed how he entered the pen.
The family of a three-year-old boy seriously injured in a crocodile enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst thanked the staff who rescued him and said their attention remained fixed on his recovery. Cambridgeshire Police said the boy remained in a stable condition at Addenbrooke’s Hospital after the 18 June incident at the family-run attraction near Huntingdon.
Officers were called at 1.24pm, and police later arrested a 30-year-old man from Norfolk on suspicion of attempted murder. He was bailed after being assessed as not fit for interview. It is understood the child was attacked by at least one crocodile before staff pulled him from the enclosure.
The case has put a harsh spotlight on how a toddler got into a restricted animal area in the first place, and on the barriers and supervision checks that should keep young children away from danger. Johnsons of Old Hurst is a popular family attraction, but the facts now under scrutiny are basic ones: whether access controls were secure, whether the enclosure was adequately protected, and how quickly staff were able to intervene once the child was inside.
The boy’s family have chosen to focus on the rescue and the days ahead rather than the attack itself. Their statement singled out the zoo staff for their bravery, a reminder that the outcome could have been worse without immediate action on the ground.
The incident has also prompted a separate investigation at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Around 40 NHS staff are reported to have accessed the boy’s medical records without a clear legitimate reason, leading Cambridge University Hospitals to launch an internal inquiry and refer itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office. A fundraising page has also been set up to support the boy’s recovery and rehabilitation.
For now, the child remains at the centre of two parallel questions: how the enclosure breach happened, and how a serious injury at a public attraction rippled into concerns about privacy, supervision and safety beyond the zoo gates.
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