Kan. boy clawed by leopard heading home soon

WICHITA, Kan. – The family of a 7-year-old Kansas boy clawed by a leopard at a zoo last week says the first-grader will be out of the hospital soon.

The boy was on a school field trip at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita when he was attacked Friday. Zoo officials say the boy climbed over a 4-foot railing around the leopard exhibit, crossed an 8-foot safety zone and stood next to the metal mesh fence. The leopard was able to get its paws through the mesh and clawed the boy on the neck and face.

KAKE-TV reports the boy was listed in good condition Monday at a Wichita hospital. His family issued a statement saying he would be heading home soon and thanking the bystanders who rushed to help after the attack.