Family: Death of woman in lion cage was accident

This 2012 photo provided by KFSN-TV shows a 4-year-old male African lion named Couscous at Cat Haven, a private wild animal park in Dunlap, California. AP

FRESNO, California—An exotic animal park in California was following safety protocols when a lion attacked and killed a 24-year-old intern, her relatives say, describing the death as a tragic accident.

Investigators believe the 5-year-old male lion lifted the door of a partially closed feeding cage with its paw Friday and killed Dianna Hanson as she cleaned a bigger enclosure area, coroner David Hadden has said.

Family members said they don’t believe it was a mauling, but rather a lion’s rough play that turned tragic.

Dianna Hanson’s brother, Paul R. Hanson, also told The Associated Press that his family was relieved the young woman did not suffer after the lion swiped or lunged at her.

Hanson died immediately from a broken neck, according to a coroner’s autopsy report.

Other injuries — including scratches and claw marks — were sustained after her death, the report states.

The investigation was focusing on the cage door that the 550-pound (250-kilogram) animal managed to escape through to reach the volunteer intern, officials say.

“The lion had been fed, the young woman was cleaning the large enclosure, and the lion was in the small cage,” Hadden said. “The gate of the cage was partially open, which allowed the lion called Cous Cous to lift it up with his paw.”

Hadden said the lion then ran at Hanson.

Hanson was talking with a co-worker on a cellphone in the moments before she was killed, the coroner said. The co-worker became concerned when the conversation ended abruptly and Hanson failed to call back. The co-worker then called authorities when she went to check on Hanson.

Sheriff’s deputies shot Cous Cous after the animal couldn’t be coaxed away from Hanson’s body.

Hanson had been working for two months as an intern at Cat Haven, a 100-acre (40-hectare) private zoo east of Fresno.

Her father, Paul Hanson, described his daughter as a “fearless” lover of big cats and said her goal was to work with the animals at an accredited zoo. She died doing what she loves, he said.

USDA inspectors conduct multiple unannounced inspections of Cat Haven every year and never had found a violation, Sacks said. Federal regulations pertain only to animal treatment.

Cat Haven breeds and keeps lions, tigers, jaguars, lynx and other exotic cats and takes them out for public appearances.