Mississippi
Mom Who Shot Missing Monkey Speaks Out
Authorities Criticized for Handling of Monkey Situation
Published
TMZ.com
Jessica Bond Ferguson — the mother who shot and killed a monkey that had escaped last week to protect her children — shared her regrets with TMZ.
Ferguson expressed, “I wish it didn’t have to happen that way. I just wish they took better measures in taking care of it and trying to find them.”
Last week, a truck carrying Rhesus monkeys from a research center overturned in rural Mississippi, allowing 21 monkeys to almost escape the vehicle.
Thirteen monkeys were captured by authorities, while 5 were shot due to a misunderstanding about their health conditions. Three monkeys managed to escape into the wild.
Scotty Ray Report
One of the escaped monkeys entered Ferguson’s yard in Heidelberg, Mississippi, where she felt compelled to shoot it out of concern for her children’s safety.
Ferguson suggested, “They could’ve had drones flying around. They could’ve taken more measures to look for these monkeys and prevented this from happening.”
Despite her actions, Ferguson stated, “I hate that it happened but I’m going to protect my kids at all costs.”
Another escaped monkey was apprehended by authorities on Sunday, leaving only one still unaccounted for.
