SAN DIEGO – A father who took his young child into an elephant habitat at the San Diego Zoo on Friday has been arrested, officials said.
At one point, the father dropped the child, who according to NBC San Diego was about 2 years old, but tracked down the toddler and escaped when an ‘upset’ elephant apparently wanted to charge in the Asian and African elephant area, San Diego said. police-ao. Ariel Savage.
The man, who was not identified, was arrested on allegations of child abuse and entry into a zoo, the sergeant said.
No injuries were reported.
“Despite multiple obstacles,” the father “deliberately and illegally trespassed on a habitat,” Andrew James, spokesman for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, said in a statement.
Matthew Passiglia said he was at a cafe in the area when he noticed the man and child getting past obstacles, apparently to take a picture.
It appears that the man stumbled and dropped the child, before grabbing the toddler and getting away. Then, he said, an elephant bumped one of the obstacles on the head
Spectators watched and took cellphone video, Passiglia said.
“The safety of the San Diego Zoo responded immediately to the incident,” James said, “but the guests have already left the habitat.”
Bill Feather contributed.