An Ohio prosecutor said he will not charge the family of a three-year-old boy who got into a Cincinnati Zoo exhibit, leading to the fatal shooting of an endangered gorilla.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said in an afternoon news conference the "attentive" mother cannot be held responsible because the boy scampered off.
"If anyone doesn't believe a three-year-old can scamper off very quickly, they've never had kids," Mr Deters said.
"Because they can. And they do."
Legal experts had said prosecution on child endangerment or similar charges seemed unlikely.
The boy apparently climbed over the barrier on 28 May before falling about 15ft into a shallow moat.
A special response team shot and killed the gorilla, 17-year-old Harambe, after concluding the boy's life was at stake.
The zoo says it was the first such breach in Gorilla World's 38 years of existence.
The exhibit will reopen on Tuesday with a higher, reinforced barrier.
The parents welcomed Mr Deters' announcement that there would be no charges.
"The family is very pleased with this decision; it is what we expected," said their statement, reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer.
"This is one more step in allowing us to put this tragic episode behind us and return to our normal family life."
A family spokesperson said there are no plans to pursue a lawsuit against the zoo.
But the US Department of Agriculture is investigating the safety and operation of the attraction.
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