FORMER CHILD ACTOR WILLIAM CHAPMAN, 24, DIED INSIDE TIGER ENCLOSURE — FAMILY SEEKS ANSWERS AS FULL INQUEST IS SET FOR MARCH

William Harry Bruce Chapman died after entering an Amur tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. His family has raised concerns about his mental health care and pleaded for people to stop circulating distressing footage.

An official investigation is continuing following the death of former child actor William Harry Bruce Chapman, who died after entering an Amur tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, England.

The 24-year-old died on October 10, 2026. An initial inquest hearing was opened at Doncaster Coroner’s Court on October 15, where officials heard details about the incident and the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to the hearing, Chapman visited the wildlife park alone and entered the tiger enclosure at approximately 1:30 p.m. after climbing over two fences.

He was approached by the tiger, named Altai, and suffered multiple traumatic injuries. Paramedics attended the scene but were unable to save him.

An initial post-mortem examination recorded multiple traumatic injuries as the cause of death.

Family raises concerns about mental health care

During the opening hearing, the court heard that Chapman had a history of mental illness, a diagnosis of schizophrenia and previous episodes of psychosis.

He had been under the care of adult mental health services in Doncaster, although he was described as highly functioning and independent, with no care requirements.

His family raised concerns about his contact with mental health services before his death.

The Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust subsequently launched an investigation. The trust has said it must respect patient confidentiality and has not publicly disclosed details of his care.

The family has said it hopes the relevant authorities will establish why the incident happened and what role, if any, his health and treatment played.

Family pleads for people to stop sharing footage

In a heartbreaking statement released after his death, his family described William as a “bright, warm and engaging young man” who was deeply loved.

They also expressed distress over the circulation of videos and other media showing the incident.

The family said the publication and sharing of the footage was causing them severe distress during an exceptionally vulnerable time.

They asked the public to stop distributing the material, respect their privacy and allow the official investigations to proceed.

Chapman had previously appeared in television productions, including ITV’s May Contain Nuts and the BBC’s True Stories. His former stage school also paid tribute, remembering him as a former student whose journey as a performer they had been privileged to witness.

Investigations continue as full inquest approaches

The circumstances surrounding Chapman’s death are being examined by several authorities.

City of Doncaster Council, the licensing authority for Yorkshire Wildlife Park, has launched a health and safety investigation. The council is working with relevant agencies and will share its findings with the coroner.

The inquest has also raised questions about the enclosure’s safety arrangements, the events leading up to the incident and the concerns expressed by his family about mental health services.

However, no final findings have been announced, and it would be premature to draw conclusions about responsibility or whether any failures occurred.

The Amur tiger, Altai, remains alive. The wildlife park confirmed that the animal would not be euthanised following the incident.

The park reopened on October 16 after temporarily closing to visitors.

March 2027 hearing expected to examine further evidence

The full inquest into William Chapman’s death is scheduled for March 18, 2027.

The proceedings may provide a more detailed account of the events, alongside evidence gathered through the investigations into his care and the wildlife park’s safety arrangements.

It is not yet clear exactly what new findings will be presented or whether every question raised by the family will be answered at that hearing.

For those who loved William, the priority remains understanding what happened while remembering the person behind the headlines.

His family’s appeal is clear: stop sharing distressing footage, respect their privacy and allow the investigation to establish the facts.