Parents of boy who fell into gorilla enclosure reveal his condition

• Boy’s parents say he is ‘doing well’
• Police have launched an investigation into the tragedy
• Harambe the gorilla reportedly lost his mum, brother in gas accident in 2002

Mother Michelle Gregg, who was with Isiah when he crawled into the pit, and father Deonne Dickerson also thanked zoo staff for protecting their son.

“If anyone wishes to make a gift, we recommend a donation to the Cincinnati Zoo in Harambe’s name,” the said in a statement, adding they have been offered money but won’t accept financial gifts.

“Our child has had a check-up by his doctor and is still doing well. We continue to praise God for His grace and mercy, and to be thankful to the Cincinnati Zoo for their actions taken to protect our child.”

The gorilla, a 17-year-old, 200 kilogram silverback named Harambe, was shot by officials after a boy fell into its enclosure on Saturday. Police are investigating to determine if c-harges should be filed against Isiah’s parents.

Deonne Dickerson with his son Isiah. Picture: Facebook/Deonne DickersonSource:Facebook

MOTHER’S DRAMATIC 911 CALL AFTER SON’S TUMBLE

Police have released mother Ms Gregg’s harrowing call to 911 after her son tumbled into the gorilla’s pit.

On the recording, Ms Gregg could be heard frantically shouting: “My son fell in the zoo exhibit at the gorilla — at the Cincinnati zoo. My son fell in with gorilla. There is a male gorilla standing over him. I need someone to contact the zoo please.”

She was also heard calling out to her son in the gorilla enclosure, “Be calm, be calm!”

A bystander could also be heard shouting: “There’s a baby in the zoo at gorilla moat. Hurry, hurry, the gorillas are out. Oh, my god.”

HARAMBE’S TRAGIC PAST

Harambe reportedly lost his mother and brother in a gas accident at a zoo 14 years ago.

The Mirror claims to have unearthed a Brownsville Herald article which reported Harambe was just a baby when Kayla, who was 10, and her one-year-old son, Makoko, died in a gas leak at Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas in 2002.

Another female, two-year-old Uzuri, also died and several others were injured.

Deputy zoo director and zoologist Patrick Burchfield told the paper at the time another young male was in a “serious condition”. It’s not clear if that was Harambe.

A video of Harambe taken about a year before the accident has been shared on social media. It shows Harambe, aged about one, affectionately hugging the keeper as she shows him off to schoolchildren.

“Here is a video clip of Harambe when we went to the Gladys Porter Zoo on a classroom field trip. To this day all of my students have fond memories of Harambe,” Dan Van Coppenolle wrote on Facebook.

Harambe was shot dead on Saturday by workers at the Cincinnati Zoo who feared he would kill Isiah, who tumbled into the gorilla’s enclosure.

Witnesses said Isiah had wanted to get into the enclosure and climbed over a one metre barrier, falling 4.6 metres into a moat. Zookeepers shot the gorilla after he violently dragged and tossed the child, officials said.

Harambe, a western lowland gorilla, was fatally shot at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. Picture: Jeff McCurry/Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden via The Cincinatti Enquirer via APSource:AP

The boy’s mother said on Facebook that he suffered a concussion and scrapes but is otherwise fine. The family has also received death threats.

Animal lovers continue to express outrage over Harambe’s killing, with online petitions at change.org drawing thousands of signatures demanding Justice for Harambe.

The death of the gorilla also prompted the animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation Now to file a negligence complaint on Tuesday against the zoo with the US Department of Agriculture. The group is seeking the maximum penalty of $US10,000 ($13,833).