Toddler Crawls Under Zoo Fence, Meets Wolf

An 18-month-old's encounter with a wolf has led to criminal charges for the toddler's parents after the incident at ZooAmerica in Hershey, Pa. Police say the child slipped under an outer fence on Saturday, crawled to the wolf habitat's main barrier, and put their hand through the metal fencing, where a wolf latched on, per WGAL. Police said the animal "instinctively and naturally grabbed onto the child's hand with its mouth," per WHTM. Bystanders stepped in and helped pull the child away; authorities say the toddler suffered only minor injuries.

Derry Township police identified the parents as Carrie Sortor, 43, and Stephen Wilson, 61, of Lititz, and charged both with one count of child endangerment. Investigators say the pair were seated 25 to 30 feet from the toddler and appeared to be focused on their phones until they heard the commotion. Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, which operates ZooAmerica, said the wolf's behavior was consistent with normal animal response and "not a sign of aggression," and stressed that guests are expected to stay in designated areas and closely watch children. Police are asking witnesses or anyone with video of the incident to contact Sgt. Dennis Eckenrode at 717-534-2202.