ZooAmerica in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Photograph: Google MapsView image in fullscreenZooAmerica in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Photograph: Google MapsParents charged after toddler snuck into wolf enclosure at Pennsylvania zooParents face child endangerment charge after their kid suffered a minor injury at ZooAmerica in Hersheypark
The parents of a toddler who suffered a minor injury at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after squeezing through a fence near a wolf enclosure and making contact with one of the animals have been charged with endangering the welfare of children, with police accusing them of paying attention to their cellphones at the time.
In a news release, police said that the parents both walked about 25ft to 30ft (7.5 meters to 9 meters) away from the child to a seating area with benches and appeared to be paying attention to their cellphones when they noticed what was happening Saturday at ZooAmerica in Hersheypark.
The child went through a small opening in a wooden barrier perimeter fence and entered a restricted area near the wolf exhibit, the Derry Township police said. The child reached a primary metal fence enclosure and was hurt after placing a hand through that fencing.
“From the injuries sustained, it appears as though one of the wolves in the enclosure instinctively and naturally grabbed on to the child’s hand with its mouth,” the police news release said. “Several bystanders intervened and helped pull the child away.”
The parents, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, were charged with the misdemeanor offense after an initial investigation and consultation with the Dauphin county district attorney’s office, police said.
Police have identified the parents as a 43-year-old woman and 61-year-old man.
Speaking to WGAL-TV, Derry Township’s police chief, Garth Warner, said: “There are signs that advise parents to attend to their children and so forth. Obviously they did not follow those instructions.”
Police have asked anyone who witnessed the incident, assisted the child or has any personal video or additional information to contact them.
Research has suggested that children’s safety needs were more often at risk when parents used their phones than when other factors competed for their attention, such as talking with other adults or reading printed material.
Court records posted on Monday showed that the parents await a preliminary hearing on 28 April. There were no attorneys listed for them. A phone number associated with one of the parents was not working Tuesday.
The zoo is part of the entertainment complex in Hershey, featuring a chocolate-themed amusement park. The zoo’s website says it has three gray wolves.
The zoo had said in a statement that the wolf’s response “is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression”.
“Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing,” the facility said. “Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times.”
According to a Hersheypark spokesperson, Amanda Polyak, the wolf’s “brief, investigatory behavior [was] consistent with how wild canines interact with unfamiliar objects in their environment. A wolf uses its mouth the way humans use hands.”
Polyak added: “Wolves investigate, test and interact with unfamiliar objects through ‘mouthing’, which can include taking something into the mouth without intent to injure.” WGAL-TV reported that Polyak also said “that behavior is especially common when something novel appears within reach of the animal’s enclosure”.
“The wolf remains on exhibit and is up to date with all its vaccinations.”
Hersheypark made headlines in the summer of 2025 when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed on to a building and jumped on to the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
