A council has opened a safeguarding inquiry after a deeply concerning incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst in Cambridgeshire left a three-year-old boy seriously injured and raised urgent questions about the care being provided to an adult suspect.
Norfolk County Council confirmed that a Section 42 inquiry is now underway into the support given to the 30-year-old man, who has a learning disability and was visiting the site with two carers at the time of the incident on June 18.
The man was arrested on suspicion of a serious offence after the child was reportedly placed into a crocodile enclosure. Police later released him on bail after deciding he was not fit to be interviewed.
Police are seen at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo after a three-year-old boy was thrown into a crocodile enclosure
Crocodiles pictured in the enclosure at Johnsons zoo. It is understood the boy was bitten by a saltwater or Nile crocodile
Owners Andy and Tracey Johnson (left), pictured in 2009 with a 400lb crocodile, jumped into the enclosure to rescue the boy after he was thrown in
According to reports cited in the original article, concerns have also been raised about the actions of the carers who were accompanying him. A source claimed the carers attempted to take the suspect away from the site shortly after the zoo owners rushed to help the child, but were stopped by a member of staff.
Witnesses also alleged that the carers had been on their phones and were several metres behind the suspect moments before the incident unfolded. These claims are now likely to form part of wider questions around supervision, safeguarding and whether warning signs were missed.
Norfolk County Council said it is working with partners across the health and care system to identify and review people receiving care from the provider involved. The authority has also stopped new referrals to that provider while the matter is examined.
Although the suspect is understood to be from Norfolk, the council said his care was not commissioned, provided or funded by Norfolk County Council. Even so, the safeguarding review will look at whether he was at risk of, or experiencing, neglect or poor care.
The young boy remains in hospital after undergoing several operations, with further treatment expected. A fundraising page set up to support his recovery has already raised tens of thousands of pounds, with his parents thanking the public for their kindness during an unimaginably difficult time.
The owners of Johnsons of Old Hurst, Andy and Tracey Johnson, have described the incident as one of the most distressing moments in the history of their family business. They praised staff and emergency responders for acting quickly and doing everything possible to support the child until medical teams arrived.
The case has now become more than a single police investigation. It has opened a wider debate about safeguarding standards, the responsibility of care providers and how vulnerable adults are supervised during public outings.
For the child’s family, the focus remains on recovery. For the authorities, the key question is now how such a serious incident was able to happen — and what must change to prevent anything similar in the future.
