A Mississippi mother faced a terrifying decision when a runaway monkey appeared in her yard, triggering a desperate act to protect her family. Jessica Bond Ferguson, awakened by her teenage son, found herself confronting one of the escaped primates just sixty feet from her home near Heidelberg.
Armed with a cellphone and a firearm, the 35-year-old chef stepped outside, her heart pounding with fear for her five children, ranging in age from four to sixteen. She’d already contacted the police, instructed to simply observe the animal, but a chilling thought consumed her.
“I did what any other mother would do to protect her children,” Ferguson stated, recalling the moment she fired upon the monkey. It stood its ground initially, then retreated before finally falling. Her actions were driven by a primal instinct to prevent potential harm.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a homeowner had indeed found one of the escaped monkeys. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks took custody of the animal, but details remained scarce, adding to the unsettling atmosphere.
Ferguson’s concern wasn’t simply about a wild animal; it was about the vulnerability of children playing outdoors. She wrestled with the possibility of inaction, imagining the consequences if the monkey had attacked a child. The weight of that potential responsibility was unbearable.
The ordeal began last Tuesday when a truck carrying twenty-one Rhesus monkeys overturned on Interstate 59. The crash unleashed a frantic search for the escaped animals, turning the quiet Mississippi countryside into a scene of unexpected danger.
Authorities initially warned of the monkeys’ potential to carry diseases and their aggressive tendencies, prompting a call to “neutralize” any encountered animals. While Tulane University, which housed the monkeys at its research center, later confirmed recent health screenings showed no pathogens, the inherent risk remained.
As of the latest reports, thirteen monkeys were recovered near the crash site and transported to their destination. Sadly, five were killed during the search, and until Sunday, three remained unaccounted for. Ferguson’s actions brought that number down to two.
The monkeys were destined for scientific research organizations, but Tulane University clarified they were not owned by the university itself, nor were they under the care of university personnel during transport. The investigation into the cause of the truck’s crash, occurring roughly 100 miles from Jackson, is ongoing.
The situation left a community on edge, grappling with the unsettling reality of wild animals roaming freely and the difficult choices faced by those tasked with protecting their families. The search for the final two monkeys continues, a stark reminder of the unexpected dangers that can emerge from the ordinary.
