Could there be justice for Harambe the Gorilla?
On Saturday, the silverback gorilla was shot and killed at the Cincinnati Zoo after three-year-old Isiah Dickerson fell into the animal’s enclosure.
Zoo director Thane Maynard explained that officials were concerned for the toddler’s safety after the endangered animal began dragging him through the habitat, and defended the decision to put him down by arguing that tranquilizers don’t go into effect immediately and would only make the large primate agitated.
Related: Jane Goodall Sounds Off On Harambe’s Death
But amid outcry over the animal’s assassination, the Cincinnati PD has decided to look into the circumstances surrounding the ape’s death, and they have their sights sets on Isiah’s parents, Michelle Gregg and Deonne Dickerson!
The cops are reviewing “the actions of the parents/family that led up to the incident.”
It’s possible the child’s parents could face negligence charges, even though Michelle insists she keeps “a tight watch” on her little ones.
DailyMail says the boy’s father already has a lengthy rap sheet, including burglary, firearms offenses, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, kidnap, and even drug trafficking — which actually landed him a year behind bars about ten years ago.
However, from the looks of his social media, it seems as though Deonne is more focused on his family these days, rather than his history of illegal activity.
But in this incident, he wasn’t even at the zoo when Isiah fell into the enclosure.
The authorities say they are NOT investing the zoo itself, because it’s outside of their jurisdiction.
If anyone will be checking out whether or not the Cincinnati Zoo is to blame, it will be the United States Department of Agriculture.
[Image via Facebook, Cincinnati Zoo/Instagram.]
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