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CCTV security cameras captured the horrifying moment a mom appeared to drop her young daughter into a brown bear enclosure.
According to reports, the incident happened at a zoo in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The mom can be seen holding the child over the railings before dropping her into the bear's den. She then appears to stay and watch.
Witnesses watched in horror as the bear, named Zuzu, ran toward the girl immediately after she landed in the trench.
The zoo staff acted quickly, enticing the bear to another part of the enclosure so that they could rescue the little girl. She was treated at a nearby hospital for a head injury and cuts from the fall.
According to reports, the mom was later detained and faces a criminal case for attempted murder. If convicted, she faces 15 years in jail.
"A young woman threw a little girl down into a brown bear’s enclosure, in front of all the visitors," said a zoo spokeswoman. “It was completely unclear what her motive was."