A three-year-old boy who was seriously injured after being thrown five meters into a zoo’s crocodile enclosure is now using his feet to play after being released from hospital after seven operations.
The child returned home “a few weeks ago” and is “happy to be home, play with his toys, sleep in his own bed and be a big brother,” his parents said in an update online.
The boy was taken to hospital in a critical condition after a 30-year-old man lifted him over a fence and threw him into the crocodile enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst Zoo, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on June 18.
The Norfolk man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after the incident and later released on bail after police said he was ‘not found suitable for interview’. The suspect reportedly had learning disabilities and had been traveling to the zoo with caretakers.
In an update shared on a GoFundMe page On Monday, the boy’s family said that “all of his immediate surgeries are over for now” and that it was “nice to have us all back together in the comfort of our own homes.”
The fundraising page has been set up to support the family financially and aid the boy’s recovery and rehabilitation and has raised more than £114,000 to date.
The family also revealed that the little boy was ‘very fond of the playing team’ in the pediatric intensive care unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he was being treated.
The team helped the toddler become a little boy “by inventing new games and teaching him new ways to use his feet in play,” the parents added.
To show their gratitude, the family said they had purchased new toys for the unit and the children’s play team.
The child was reportedly thrown 15 feet into the crocodile enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst farm in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on June 18.
They also plan to donate to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) to thank the staff involved in their son’s care, ‘including the supply of superhero costumes to brighten his day’.
The parents want to donate to the charity Sick Children’s Trust, which helps families whose children are long-term patients or in pediatric intensive care.
In a GoFundMe update, his parents said: “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.”
“We will both continue to be by our son’s side as we support him through his rehabilitation journey.
‘We regularly go to the hospital to see what the next steps are and we work on that together as a family.
‘All his immediate operations have been completed for the time being, which means we can now focus on rehabilitation at home.’
They said the money donated so far has “supported us financially to cover immediate costs such as our bills and mortgage,” and “has also enabled us to cover our wage losses during this period.”
They thanked everyone who “showed so much kindness and generosity during what has been a significant ordeal for all of us.”
In an earlier update, the family said the boy had undergone seven surgeries, including a nerve transplant on his left arm.
The boy suffered extensive damage to tendons, blood vessels and tissue in his arms, neck, head and face requiring 12-hour emergency surgery immediately afterwards.
Andy and Tracey Johnson, the couple who owned the zoo, immediately jumped into the enclosure to save the boy after the attack, along with their son Edward.
Mr and Mrs Johnson said in a statement: ‘We were warned of reports that a child had been thrown into one of our crocodile enclosures in the Tropical House.
“Everyone on site that day acted with incredible speed and determination.
‘Within minutes of the first radio call, the child was rescued from the locked room and given first aid.
‘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 extremely 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.’
Johnsons of Old Hurst was originally a dairy farm and also has a butcher’s shop, farm shop, tea room and steakhouse.
According to the website, the crocodiles were initially kept to help dispose of waste meat from the butcher shop.
But over time, they became the beginnings of a zoo, which is now home to more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers, sloth bears, capybaras and meerkats.
Norfolk County Council has launched an ongoing Section 42 investigation into the care of the 30-year-old man, to establish whether he was at risk of or had experience of abuse or neglect.
The municipality says it has stopped referrals to the healthcare provider involved in the case.
A spokesperson for the council said it is working with ‘partners across the health and care system to identify and assess all those individuals receiving care from this provider and to ensure that the care they receive is of the quality and consistency they expect and deserve’.
