Parents Under Investigation in Gorilla-Zoo Incident

01 Jun, 2016

Police are investigating the family of the boy who entered the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati zoo over the holiday weekend during an incident that led to the animal being shot dead and a storm of public protest.

Investigators from the Cincinnati police department are reviewing “the incident and the lead-up to it”, department spokesperson Tiffaney Hardy said Tuesday. The department has also called for witnesses to come forward.

The actions of the zoo are being looked into by the federal government, and the zoo itself is reviewing safety in the aftermath of the dramatic episode that occurred on Saturday afternoon.

the Cincinnati police department announced on Tuesday that it is looking into the actions of the parents, but there has not yet been any decision about criminal charges.

“We are investigating the family. Depending on what we find we will make a determination if there will be charges filed, but I cannot say what those charges might be,” said Hardy.

She added that it was possible staff at the zoo would be interviewed and she added: “I’m sure that the parents provided a statement.”

The local prosecutor, Joseph Deters, issued a statement saying that once the police had concluded their investigation “they will confer with our office on possible criminal charges”.

Hardy, said the police are not investigating the zoo.

“They are being investigated from the federal standpoint by the United States Department of Agriculture,” she said.

On Saturday afternoon the boy eluded his parents’ control and climbed over the three-foot steel barrier between the public and the gorilla enclosure. He pushed through some bushes and then fell 15 feet down into the sunken enclosure, into a shallow moat used by the apes.

Onlookers watched in horror and took video as an adult male silverback gorilla named Harambe dragged the child swiftly across the moat by his ankle. The boy could be heard on tape sobbing and squealing.

Maynard said that after the animal pulled the child through the water again, banging the boy’s head on the concrete, Harambe injured him further as he carried him up a ladder to the rocky part of the gorilla exhibit. Staff shot the animal as the boy was between his feet and the child was rescued.

In a statement on Wednesday, the boy’s family said he was doing well after a medical checkup, and directed well-wishers to donate to the Cincinatti Zoo in Harambe’s name.

The death of the gorilla sparked a massive outbreak of commentary on social media, with many launching vicious attacks against the mother of the boy, while others variously supported and criticized the zoo. And crowds of animal lovers and activists held a protest vigil at the zoo.

In a briefing on Memorial Day, Maynard insisted that the zoo was not negligent and its Gorilla World habitat was safe and complied with all regulations. The zoo is inspected by the USDA and accredited by the US Association of Zoos and Aquariums, he said.

He added, however, that the exhibit was under safety review following the incident, and he did not know if there would be any changes made to the enclosure prior to the habitat reopening, as early as Saturday.

TheGuardian 

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