Man freed on bail after toddler found in U.K. zoo’s crocodile pen

Crocodiles at Johnsons Zoo in Old Hurst, eastern England. (Johnsons Zoo in Old Hurst)

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Police said Friday they had released a man on bail after a three-year-old boy ended up in a private zoo’s crocodile enclosure in eastern England, suffering serious injuries.

The toddler remained in a “critical but stable” condition in hospital in the nearby city of Cambridge, police said.

Police previously said they had arrested a 30-year-old man from Norfolk on suspicion of attempted murder over the incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst private zoo.

The police later said the suspect had been “assessed as not being fit for interview” and freed on bail until September 18.

Police said they did not believe the attacker and the boy knew each other and did not specify how the child’s injuries had been inflicted.

They said the boy “was pulled out by staff from the zoo and received medical treatment at the scene before being taken to hospital”.

“Our thoughts remain with the boy and his family and specialist officers continue to support them through this difficult time,” said Detective Inspector Verity McCann.

Johnsons of Old Hurst has a butchers, farm shop, tea room, steakhouse as well as a zoo, according to its website.

It said Thursday that it had closed its Tropical House “out of respect to the family” of the boy, while the zoo remained open.

British media quoted locals as saying the zoo owner’s wife jumped into the enclosure and rescued the boy.

The zoo is home to more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers, sloth bears, capybaras, meerkats and crocodiles, according to its website.