Posted on June 3, 2016

First Picture of Tot Who Fell into Gorilla Enclosure

James Beal, The Sun, June 2, 2016

Gorilla fall tot Isiah Dickerson is pictured for the first time since his ordeal–as his mum is quizzed by cops over the killing of endangered silverback Harambe.

Isiah Dickerson

Isiah Dickerson

The Sun can reveal that Michelle Gregg, 32, spent 90 minutes being grilled by police over the shooting of the primate–which happened when her three-year-old son slipped away from her.

He appeared for the first time yesterday, less than a week after plunging 12ft into the gorilla enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo and being flung around by Harambe.

Our exclusive pictures show the youngster–with visible marks on his head and arms–emerging defiantly from his family home.

Isiah was seen clutching a toy car and wearing an orange Nintendo Super Mario “I Make Awesome Happen” t-shirt.

Earlier solemn mum Michelle was taken from her Cincinnati home by gun-carrying cops, who initially said they would not investigate–but changed their mind following a public outcry.

A source close to the family told The Sun: “Michelle just wants all this to blow over and normal family life to resume.

“She has been horrified by the reaction and all the negatives out there on social media.

“She is just a regular mum and cares well for her kids.

“They are just trying to be a normal family and get their lives back together.

“They are doing their best to stay out of everything.

“They are fully co-operating with the police investigation and have no plans whatsoever to sue the zoo over this incident.”

Our pictures of Michelle being taken away by police came as cops released her harrowing 911 call to authorities from Cincinnati Zoo.

Witnesses revealed that inquisitive Isiah had his hand in her back pocket, but scampered off when she stopped to take a picture of 28-stone lowland gorilla Harambe.

He then flopped over a safety barrier and plummeted down a 12ft drop straight into the enclosure.

During the emergency call, the panicked mum-of-four can be heard saying: “My son fell in the zoo exhibit at the gorilla at the Cincinnati zoo.

“My son fell in with gorilla.

“There is a male gorilla standing over him.”

Michelle also calls to her son in Harambe’s pen, shouting: “Be calm, be calm!”

She adds down the phone: “He’s dragging my son.

“I can’t watch this.”

The relieved mum posted a thankful Facebook status after her young son was saved from the gorilla enclosure and stressed that she always kept a “tight watch” on her kids.

Cincinnati Police Department originally said it was not going to investigate the incident–but then started one after a vociferous online backlash against Michelle.

She received death threats and was forced to pull down her Facebook account, despite urging people to donate money to the zoo in Harambe’s name.

An online petition, titled “Justice for Harambe” has gained more than 470,000 signatures blaming Michelle and calling on an “investigation of the child’s home environment”.

Her partner Deonne Dickerson, 36, who was not even believed to have been at the zoo that day, was also the subject of vicious online attacks and forced to remove his Facebook page.

Deonne has turned his life around after being arrested for 25 alleged offences, including drug trafficking, abduction and burglary.

The family source added: “They just want to move on.”

MichelleAndDeonne

Michelle Gregg and Deonne Dickerson