Parents charged after toddler slips into wolf area and gets hurt at Hersheypark zoo

HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) — The parents of a toddler who suffered a minor injury at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after squeezing through a fence near a wolf enclosure and making contact with one of the animals have been charged with endangering the welfare of children, police said.

Evidence showed that the parents both walked about 25 to 30 feet (7.6 meters to 9.1 meters) away from the child to a seating area with benches and appeared to be paying attention to their cellphones when they noticed what was happening Saturday at ZooAmerica in the Hersheypark theme park, police said in a news release.

The child went through a small opening in a wooden barrier perimeter fence and entered a restricted area near the wolf exhibit, the Derry Township Police said. The child reached a primary metal fence enclosure and was hurt after placing a hand through that fencing.

“From the injuries sustained, it appears as though one of the wolves in the enclosure instinctively and naturally grabbed onto the child’s hand with its mouth. Several bystanders intervened and helped pull the child away,” police said in the release.

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The parents, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, were charged with the misdemeanor offense after an initial investigation and consultation with the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office, police said. Court records posted Monday showed that both await a preliminary hearing on April 28. There were no attorneys listed for them. A phone number associated with one of the parents was not working Tuesday.

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The zoo is part of the entertainment complex in Hershey, featuring a chocolate-themed amusement park. The zoo’s website says it has three gray wolves.

The zoo had said in a statement that the wolf’s response “is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression.

“Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times,” it said.

Hersheypark made headlines last summer when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.