A three-year-old boy has been seriously hurt after being thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo in the United Kingdom. The incident happened earlier today and prompted a major emergency response. A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with what police described as a distressing incident.
The events unfolded at a zoo near Huntingdon, in Cambridgeshire. Police were called to the scene as the alarm was raised. Officers and paramedics arrived to find a young child who had suffered serious injuries.
The East of England Ambulance Service said that an ambulance, a rapid response vehicle and an ambulance officer vehicle had all attended, along with the air ambulance. According to the service, the boy was ultimately transported by road to hospital for further care. He had earlier been described as being in a critical but stable condition.
Cambridgeshire Police confirmed that a 30-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. At this stage he has not been charged, and the investigation remains in its early hours. Officers stressed that they are still working to establish exactly what happened.
In a significant detail, police said they do not believe the man who was arrested and the child are known to each other. That account addressed early uncertainty about any possible connection between the two. The force did not provide further information about the man at this stage.
Detective Inspector Verity McCann, of Cambridgeshire Police, said officers are speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time in order to understand more about the circumstances. She described the events as a distressing incident. The appeal for witnesses suggested the investigation will rely in part on those who saw what happened.
The detective inspector added that officers are supporting the boy's family at the hospital, and that the thoughts of the force remain with them. For now, the focus is on the child's recovery and on piecing together how the incident came about. Police are expected to release more information as their inquiries continue.