April 06, 2026
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The parents of a 17-month-old were charged with endangering the welfare of a child after a wolf 'naturally grabbed' a toddler’s hand with its mouth at Hersheypark's ZooAmerica.
Parents face charges of endangering the welfare of a child after their 17-month-old suffered minor injuries near a wolf enclosure at Hersheypark’s ZooAmerica.
Carrie B. Sortor, 43, and Stephen J.B. Wilson, 61, of Lititz, Lancaster County, walked around 25-30 feet away from the child to a seating area with benches and appeared to be looking at their cellphones when a wolf "naturally grabbed" the toddler’s hand with its mouth, forcing bystanders to intervene, police said.
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The child crawled under a small opening in an exterior perimeter fence toward the primary metal enclosure that surrounds ZooAmerica's wolf habitat at around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Derry Township Police said in a statement Sunday evening.
The wolf’s response to make contact with the child’s hand was “not a sign of aggression” and “consistent with natural animal behavior,” according to a statement from ZooAmerica.
The zoo has three wolves in its pack, a male named Twister and two female sisters named Hazel and Freya. Zoo officials have yet to disclose which wolf was involved in the encounter.
“The child was never inside the wolf’s enclosure and we are relieved the injuries were minor,” the statement said. “Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times.”
Anyone with more information or video evidence of the incident should contact Sergeant Dennis Eckenrode at 717-534-2202 or by email at daeckenr@derrytownship.org. Tips can also be submitted through the Derry Township Crimewatch page.
