Parents charged after toddler injured by sticking hand in zoo’s wolf enclosure

Family & ParentingPets
7 Apr 2026 • 9:38 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • A toddler was injured by a wolf at ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania, after placing their hand through a fence into a restricted area.
  • The 17-month-old child was unsupervised and managed to get through a wooden barrier before reaching the wolf enclosure's metal fence.
  • Police reported that the child's parents, Carrie Sortor and Stephen Wilson, were approximately 30 feet away and appeared to be looking at their cell phones during the incident.
  • Both parents have been charged with one count of endangering the welfare of children by the Derry Township Police Department.
  • A zoo spokesperson confirmed the child's injuries were minor and stated the wolf's action was a natural response, not a sign of aggression.

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