Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters will hold a press conference Monday to announce whether his office will pursue criminal charges against the family of a boy who climbed into a Cincinnati Zoo gorilla exhibit.

The Cincinnati Police Department completed its investigation into the incident, which has drawn international attention, earlier this week and sent its report to prosecutors.

A 3-year-old boy climbed into the gorilla enclosure area Saturday and was dragged about by a 400-pound gorilla until zoo workers shot the animal to protect the child.

The boy’s mother said she was momentarily distracted and lost track of the child.

A new, higher barrier has since been installed around the exhibit, which officials said will re-open Tuesday.

MORE: Security features at zoo’s cheetah facility in Warren County

Featured

UPS driver Dan Partyka delivers an overnight package. As more people buy more goods online, the rapid and unrelenting expansion of e-commerce is causing real challenges for the Sandy-Springs based company. (Bob Andres/AJC 2022)

Credit: TNS