Black woman who jumped into lion’s den at Bronx Zoo identified; police searching
Myah Autry, 32, was identified as the woman who entered a lion's enclosure at New York's Bronx Zoo, but family and neighbors believe she may not be mentally stable
A woman who climbed into a lion’s enclosure at New York’s Bronx Zoo, possibly putting her life at risk, has been identified.
On Saturday, Myah Autry, 32, posted videos online of herself facing a lion to the surprise of zoo attendees, the New York Post reports. Police are seeking the woman who could be given a citation for trespassing after the stunt.
“I REALLY HAVE [NO] FEAR OF NOTHING BREATHING,” the Brooklyn resident wrote in one caption. “ANIMALS CAN FEEL LOVE JUST LIKE HUMANS.”
The woman also shared a video standing in a giraffe enclosure, “? LITERALLY I HAVE THE SAME DIET AS A GIRAFFE.”??
READ MORE: Black woman survives leap into lion’s den at Bronx Zoo
The lion did not attack her and there are no reports of her being injured after the incident.
Although police are searching for Autry now that she has been identified, she’s still apparently unbothered by all the attention and on Wednesday posted more pics of her zoo escapade.
A woman who says she knows Autry questioned her mental health status.
“Something snapped somewhere,” Eunice Walton, 63, a former housemate told The Post. “When I saw the video of the woman walking towards the lion, I said, ‘Why do people do this? People are crazy.’ ”
“And then (Wednesday) morning I found out it was her and I was like, ‘What? Myah?’ ”
Walton said Autry lived with her and her daughter Akisha Wallace, 31, became separated over the course of the last year.
“I didn’t think it had gone that far,” Wallace said about the shocking videos. “I want her to get help. I need her to get help because I’m scared for her.”
In another video that surfaced Autry appears to be smoking marijuana outside of the zoo entrance.
She says, “I stay with the finest herb on Mother Nature.”
Zoo personnel was upset about the incident.
“This action was a serious violation and unlawful trespass that could have resulted in serious injury or death,” zoo officials said in a statement Tuesday.
“Barriers and rules are in place to keep both visitors, staff, and animals safe.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy on trespass and violation of barriers.”
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