But they didn't leave him alone in a highly electrical plant--they literally brought him to a place where you are SUPPOSED to bring kids.
Yes, and there's nothing illegal about standing next to a substation either. Teaching your kids about the electrical grid is a great thing, until you decide that it's a smart idea to leave them alone. That's when negligence comes into play.
I heard an interview (second hand, don't know 100% if it's true) where the mother said that she had been pushing a baby stroller, with him behind her, when he darted off to the side.
You should take this with a grain of salt. The mother knows that she's under scrutiny for child negligence, and there's always such a thing as covering your own ass.
Now, I don't really believe in "Finding the person to blame," exactly, and I think we should have enough maturity to understand that everyone could've done better and to further improve. But if any sole party is at fault it should be the zoo owners, for allowing a saftey hazard (accessible gorillas) in an area where we expect children to play.
I don't believe that we necessarily need someone to blame either. I just blame the parents.
As for the zoo owners, I guarantee that there's signs and contracts and such that remove any liability from the zoo. The parents can always file a lawsuit, but the zoo will have better lawyers and probably a better case.
I'm sure they recognize that this is all bad press, and they'll raise the fences before they put in a new gorilla.