Prosecutor: No charges for mother in gorilla incident

CINCINNATI — The mother of a 3-year-old boy who fell into the Cincinnati Zoo’s gorilla exhibit last month will not face charges, the Hamilton County prosecutor announced Monday.

Michelle Gregg and her son were at the zoo May 28 when witnesses said he climbed over a 3-foot fence and went through thick bushes that separate visitors from the moat that surrounds the exhibit. Gregg had turned her attention to other children, and the boy fell into the shallow water about 15 feet below.

"I've never seen the attention given to a family-endangering case as this," Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said. "If you don't believe a 3-year-old can scamper away that quickly, you've never had kids. They do just that."

A 17-year-old silverback gorilla, Harambe, climbed into the water, picked up the boy and eventually began dragging him around.

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To ensure the boy’s safety, zoo officials eventually shot and killed the gorilla. The boy suffered “a concussion and a few scrapes,” Gregg said in a Facebook post.

“This was a tragic accident and a terrible loss for the zoo of their beloved gorilla. However, the zoo did the right thing when they took immediate action to save the life of a young child," Deters said. "A gorilla is a wild animal and, by definition, dangerous and unpredictable."

Last week, the Cincinnati Police Department completed its investigation into the incident without recommending charges.

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The prosecutor's office said Cincinnati detectives made four investigatory visits to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, conducted four witness interviews, interviewed Gregg and reviewed cellphone footage of the incident.

"Our information is that the mother turned away for a few seconds to attend to another one of her young children and that is when the 3-year-old was able to climb into the gorilla enclosure," Deters said in a news release. "Any parent who is honest with himself or herself would have to understand how this could happen to even the most attentive parent."

Gregg works as site manager of Little Blossoms Academy in Cincinnati, an early childhood education center.

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"This is one more step in allowing us to put this tragic episode behind us and return to our normal family life," the the Gregg family said in a statement. "We extend thanks to all of those who have been praying for us and who have supported us through this trying ordeal and praise to God for His mercy and grace."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is conducting an investigation regarding the safety and operation of the zoo. Hamilton County commissioners have said they will ask their appointees to the zoo board to conduct an investigation.

Gregg family spokeswoman Gail Myers said the family has no plans to pursue a lawsuit against the zoo.

Follow Kevin Grasha on Twitter: @kgrasha

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