William Chapman, Who Climbed Into Tiger Enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Has His Cause of Death Revealed as Family Shares Shocking Details About His Long Battle Sickness

A 24-year-old man died after being attacked by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster. An inquest into his death has now revealed more details about what happened before the tragic incident.

William Chapman suffered serious injuries after climbing into the tiger enclosure at the popular wildlife park on Saturday, October 10. Despite efforts to deal with the emergency, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm when staff discovered that Mr Chapman, who had visited the park alone, had entered an area where the tiger was being kept.

During a hearing at Doncaster Coroners’ Court on Thursday, October 15, officials explained how the young man managed to get into the enclosure and what happened afterwards.

The court heard that Mr Chapman climbed over two fences before entering the tiger’s enclosure at around 1.31pm. He then approached the animal, and an encounter between them resulted in serious injuries that led to his death.

Staff at the wildlife park were able to bring the tiger under control, but sadly, Mr Chapman could not be saved.

A post-mortem examination was carried out by Dr Karzai, who gave a preliminary cause of death as multiple traumatic injuries caused by an interaction with an animal. A full medical report is expected to provide more information.

The hearing also revealed that Mr Chapman had experienced mental health difficulties before his death.

According to information provided by his family, he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had previously experienced episodes of psychosis. He had also been receiving care from Doncaster Mental Health Services.

However, his family explained that despite these difficulties, he was able to live independently and manage his daily activities.

His relatives have now raised concerns about the mental health support he received in the period leading up to his death. They want these concerns to be examined as part of the investigation.

The coroner’s officer confirmed that the family had expressed several concerns about Mr Chapman’s contact with mental health services before the incident.

The court also heard that Mr Chapman worked as a trader.

Meanwhile, City of Doncaster Council has launched a separate health and safety investigation into the incident.

The council is responsible for licensing Yorkshire Wildlife Park and wants to establish whether the necessary safety measures were in place when the tragedy happened.

Dan Swaine, the council’s executive director of place, confirmed that an investigation had started in line with the council’s legal responsibilities.

Investigators are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding Mr Chapman’s entry into the enclosure and the safety arrangements at the wildlife park.

The coroner has also asked officials to contact Yorkshire Wildlife Park and obtain any available CCTV footage that could help explain what happened.

Another question investigators have been asked to look into is whether Mr Chapman had visited the wildlife park before the day of the attack.

These details could help the authorities build a clearer picture of the events leading up to his death.

The incident has raised questions about how Mr Chapman managed to cross two fences and reach an area containing such a dangerous wild animal.

However, the investigations are still ongoing, and no final conclusions have been reached about the park’s safety arrangements or the circumstances that led Mr Chapman to enter the enclosure.

His family’s concerns about his mental health care will also need to be examined before any conclusions can be drawn.

A full inquest into William Chapman’s death has been scheduled for March 18, 2027, when more evidence is expected to be presented.

The hearing will aim to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death of the 24-year-old, whose visit to Yorkshire Wildlife Park ended in tragedy.