Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters has decided not to press charges against the family of the 3-year old child who fell into the Cincinnati Zoo’s gorilla exhibit. That resulted in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old endangered gorilla last week, leading to an outcry from animal rights groups and local citizens.
Deters says while the gorilla’s death is unfortunate, the child’s safety is more important.
“The zoo lost a beautiful animal, one that many people in this area have enjoyed watching for a long time. But, it’s still an animal. It does not equate with human life. And they felt that this boy’s life was in jeopardy.”
Deters says the case does not justify child endangering charges against the boy's family because his mother was present and, according to police reports and eyewitness testimony, attentive to the toddler.
