The mother of the 4-year-old toddler who fell into the Cincinnati Zoo's gorilla enclosure has defended her parenting fail. Shunning the massive backlash and the rising "Justice for Harambe" campaigns, Michelle Gregg aired her side on the issue, implicating that the tragic event is an accident that was beyond her control.
Parent Herald reported on Monday that the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden was heavily criticized after its response team shot and killed Harambe, a 400-pound Western lowland silverback gorilla, to save a toddler who slipped into the gorilla exhibit. The Cincinnati Zoo's decision sparked international outrage and "Justice For Harambe" campaigns by animal rights advocates and internet users. The mother of the toddler was not also spared from the backlash because of her apparent parenting fail for not paying close attention to her young child.
Michelle Gregg, the mother of the toddler, broke her silence about the tragic incident at the Cincinnati Zoo. In a short post before she deactivated her Facebook account, she thanked everyone for their prayers as her son is now safe.
Apparently, this is the response from the mother of the child who fell in the Gorilla exhibit: pic.twitter.com/tN90np55We
— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 29, 2016
"As a society we are quick to judge how a parent could take their eyes off of their child and if anyone knows me I keep a tight watch on my kids. Accidents happen..." Michelle Gregg wrote, apparently referring to the massive backlash she received after the Cincinnati Zoo decided to kill Harambe to save her son.
As of press time, the online petition calling "Justice For Harambe" has accumulated almost 300,000 supporters. The petition is urging the Cincinnati Zoo, the Hamilton County Child Protection Services and the Cincinnati Police Department to investigate the parents of the toddler and be held accountable for the gorilla's tragic death.
Aside from the online petition, a Facebook group, which is also called "Justice for Harambe," has now gained more than 113,000 members. The hashtag #JusticeForHarambe also trended on Twitter. Moreover, some animal rights advocates also staged rallies outside the Cincinnati Zoo, demanding justice for the death of the endangered gorilla.
Are you convinced with the mother's response to "Justice For Harambe" campaigns? Should the Cincinnati Zoo take legal action against the toddler's parents? Share your thoughts below.
