A teen was fatally attacked by a lioness after he managed to gain entry to the animal's cage at a Brazil zoo while bystanders observed, reports from People Magazine confirmed.
Gerson de Melo Machado ascended a 20-foot (6.1-meter) high wall to access the big cat's habitat at Parque Zoobotânico Arruda Câmara in João Pessoa, Paraíba, on Sunday, Nov. 30, as conveyed by local news sources like O Correio Brazilense, O Globo, and Folha de São Paulo.
The death of the 19-year-old Machado from the mauling was confirmed by the botanical zoo, home to hundreds of species, in a public news statement posted on Instagram, People Magazine noted.
Video: The video showing the lioness attack / Credit: Social media
The zoo stated: "Once the incident was confirmed, the park was immediately closed, following all safety protocols," and continued by mentioning: "The teams mobilized the competent authorities and provided the necessary support for the service and work of the experts."
Amid the ongoing investigation into the matter, the park stated it would remain closed, though it reassured visitors that it maintains "strict" safety standards, reports from People Magazine indicated.
The official news release finished by saying: "The Arruda Câmara Park is in solidarity with the family of the boy who passed away, deeply regrets the loss and wishes strength at this difficult time."
According to a statement from the City Hall of João Pessoa, cited by O Correio Brazilense, the zoo's security guards reportedly tried to prevent Machado from climbing into the lioness' enclosure, but he was too fast. The possibility that the actions were suicidal has yet to be discounted by the state's Civil Police forensics team.
Machado had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had spent time in a number of institutions, according to O Correio Brazilense. He grew up in conditions of "extreme poverty" in a household with a history of mental health problems.
Verônica Oliveira, a child welfare counselor, recounted to the outlet that when he was a small child, he was the only one of his four siblings not adopted after being removed from their mother's custody.
He had numerous altercations with the authorities over the years, stemming from the time he started stealing as a youth. The report finished by stating that just last week, Machado had allegedly asked Oliveria for help securing work after being let out of prison.
Oliveria told O Correio Brazilense that "He was 19 years old, but when he spoke, I believe his cognitive ability was no more than that of a 5-year-old."
