HERSHEY – Derry Township Police are investigating an incident that occurred Saturday, April 4th around 11:35 a.m. at ZooAmerica in Hershey. Police say an unsupervised 17-month-old child squeezed through a small opening in a wooden barrier perimeter fence and entered a restricted area near the wolf exhibit, reaching the primary metal fence enclosure. The child was injured after they placed their hand through the metal fencing. From the injuries sustained, it appears that one of the wolves instinctively and naturally grabbed onto the child’s hand with its mouth. Several bystanders intervened and helped pull the child away. Upon completion of the initial investigation, the child’s parents, 43-year-old Carrie Sortor and 61-year-old Stephen Wilson, both of Lititz, are each being charged with one count of Endangering the Welfare of Children. Evidence reviewed showed that Sortor and Wilson both walked about 25 to 30 feet away from the child to a seating area with benches. They both appear to be paying attention to their cellphones when they noticed the commotion at the wolf enclosure. Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact Sergeant Dennis Eckenrode at 717-534-2202.
