A three-year-old boy who suffered severe injuries after being thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a Cambridgeshire zoo has undergone his seventh operation – a nerve graft on his left arm – as his family revealed he is “smiling again”.
The latest procedure took place at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where the boy remains. “The surgeons completed a nerve graft on his left arm. They harvested a nerve from his leg to replace part of the nerve that was missing in his left arm,” the family wrote in an update on a GoFundMe page. “Over time, this nerve will hopefully embed and help our son to regain some function in his left hand. We won't know whether the nerve graft has been successful until tests can be carried out in a few months time.”
“Boy, 3, injured in crocodile enclosure undergoes seventh surgery – a nerve graft – as family reveals he is 'smiling again'.”
The incident occurred on June 18 at Johnsons of Old Hurst, near Huntingdon. The boy sustained a broken arm and a fractured pelvis. A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and bailed until 18 September. Police said he was assessed as not being fit for interview.
The fundraising page, set up by the boy’s grandmother, confirmed his condition “is now stable, but he faces a long road to recovery”. His parents are by his side in hospital, supporting him through both immediate and ongoing care physically and psychologically. To date, £64,542 has been raised.
Andy and Tracey Johnson, who operate the zoo, described the incident as “one of the most distressing” their family and staff had ever encountered. Mrs Johnson, the co-owner, reportedly leapt into the enclosure to rescue the child. The Tropical House, which houses the crocodile enclosure, was temporarily shut “out of respect to the family” but has since fully reopened.
In a statement, the venue said: “Everyone who was on site that day acted with incredible speed and determination. Within minutes of the first radio call, the child had been rescued from the enclosure and was receiving first aid. The emergency services arrived very quickly, supported by the MAGPAS Air Ambulance, and we cannot thank them enough for their professionalism, compassion…”
The family’s update did not give a timescale for the boy’s recovery, but noted that the nerve graft outcome will only become clear in months.
