Three-year-old injured in zoo crocodile enclosure returns home
Child settles back home as family shares updates on recovery
A three-year-old boy who sustained serious injuries in a crocodile enclosure incident at a zoo has returned home from hospital and is settling back into daily life, according to his family.
The boy was reportedly thrown into the enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire on 18th June.
The family shared, through a recent GoFundMe update, that their son returned home some weeks ago and is "happy to be home, playing with his toys, sleeping in his own bed and being a big brother."
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, but was later bailed as authorities deemed him unfit for interview due to learning difficulties.
The family has expressed their appreciation for the public's support during their ordeal, with their fundraising page raising more than £113,000 to aid the boy’s recovery process.
"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," his parents said.
Both of us will continue to stay by our son's side as we support him on his rehabilitation journey.
"We attend the hospital frequently to find out the next steps and we work on them together as a family," they added.
As part of their gratitude, the family has donated toys to Addenbrooke’s Hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit, highlighting how the play team has helped their son through "inventing new games and teaching him new ways to use his feet in play."
They also plan to contribute to the Sick Children’s Trust charity and Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust to support other children and families affected by similar circumstances.
They said that the money donated so far "has supported us financially to cover immediate costs such as our bills and mortgage," and "also allowed us to cover our loss of wages during this time."
The family expressed their intention to donate to the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, and acknowledged the staff involved in their son’s care, noting "including the supply of superhero costumes to brighten up his day."
They thanked everyone who has "shown such kindness and generosity during what has been a considerable ordeal for us all."