Family of Cincinnati Zoo boy will not face charges in gorilla killing


Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters announced Monday that the family of the child who fell into the gorilla habitat at the Cincinnati Zoo last month — resulting in the killing of an endangered gorilla to protect the boy — will not face criminal charges. The incident, which was captured on video, occurred after a 3-year-old boy "scampered away" from his mother and fell into the gorilla enclosure, where he encountered the 17-year-old, 400-plus-pound gorilla Harambe. After Harambe grabbed the boy, zoo officials controversially shot and killed the endangered animal.
Deters defended the child's mother against criticism that she had been inattentive in caring for her child. "Our information is that the mother turned away for a few seconds to attend to another one of her young children," he said. "Any parent who is honest with himself or herself would have to understand how this could happen to even the most attentive parent."
The Cincinnati Zoo will also not face charges, as Deters said "the zoo did the right thing when they took immediate action to save the life of a young child."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
China Shock 2.0
Feature An overflow of Chinese goods is flooding the global market. Tariffs won’t stop it.
By The Week US
-
Retribution: Trump calls for prosecution of critics
Feature Trump targets former officials who spoke out against him, sending a warning to future whistleblowers
By The Week US
-
Why does the U.S. need China's rare earth metals?
Today's Big Question Beijing has a 'near monopoly' on tech's raw materials
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans