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Investigation into what provoked lion attack at animal park

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    Claudia Cowan reports from San Francisco

  • Duration 3:33
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For the father of an intern who was killed -- -- at an exotic animal parks is that his daughter died doing what she loved.

24 years old.

Diana Hanssen was on a job just a few weeks.

At tax haven in central California police believe that she entered the -- of a four year old African lion by herself.

The facility was closed at the time there was only one other person in the park and when the officers arrived they had to kill the animals to reach her what I.

Horrible story this is this morning.

As we start this new hour of America's Newsroom welcome back everybody I'm Martha -- I'm Bill Hemmer good morning at home -- her father said this is what she really this is what she loved to do in her life.

Investigators now trying to determine what provoked the attack the line was raised a cat.

Since it was a -- the founder dale Anderson was crying as he read a statement about the mall and the eventual.

Approximately 12:30 PM.

Female volunteer shirt but female volunteer intern.

Entered the lions' enclosure where she was attacked -- fatally injured.

The lion was shot and killed there -- safety protocols.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to -- our friends and family.

-- -- -- family at this time in this trying time.

We'll -- you guys posted.

As things progress around here.

Thank you.

Some very hard for him to make -- Claudia Cowan joins us now from San Francisco.

Really clearly a tragedy and it's also a bit of a mystery Claudia.

Yeah it really is a Martha still lots of questions about what provoked the lion named couscous.

And why Diana Hanssen was in -- lions' enclosure all of this remains under investigation.

But park officials are looking into whether safety protocols were strictly followed.

By all accounts the 24 year old intern had spent a lot of time around this line in the few weeks she'd been working out the sanctuary.

In fact according to her father couscous was her favorite animal they are.

And she told him she was disappointed that -- rules did not allow her to go into the cages it was a rules it was fully aware.

The -- -- sanctuary is located in Dunlap about 45 miles east of Fresno.

The education research facility opened two decades ago and has passed state inspections on a regular basis.

It's home to 28 rare animals including tigers cheetahs leopards and jaguars.

Now this particular -- an African male was one of two lines there it was brought to -- haven for years ago was an eight month old -- And there are no reports he had ever attacked anyone before.

Martha -- the victim's father is speaking out about this what did he say.

Paul Hanson is an attorney near Seattle and he says he drove his daughter from her home in Washington State.

On New Year's Day they arrived at -- -- January 2.

So that she could live on the premises and begin a much anticipated internship there.

Misses her dream come true work.

Working as an intern even though the unpaid and this is their dream come true worked with big cats all day long enough and -- big cats.

Paul Hanson says his daughter was fearless and did -- prior experience working around -- cats.

The coroner's office is conducting an autopsy and the park remains closed until further notice.

More awful story -- all right thank you very much.

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