A Mississippi mother is being praised by many in her community after she took quick action to protect her children from one of several escaped monkeys that had been roaming her neighborhood for days. Jessica Bond Ferguson, a 35-year-old mother of five, said she didn’t hesitate to grab her gun and respond after her teenage son came running into the house, saying he had just seen a monkey in their yard.
The incident happened in Heidelberg early Sunday morning, just a few days after a truck carrying 21 rhesus monkeys overturned on Interstate 59. Since then, residents had been living with the uneasy knowledge that several monkeys were on the loose. Initial reports claimed the monkeys might be carrying infectious diseases, but officials later confirmed they were not. Still, with a house full of children ranging in age from 4 to 16, Bond Ferguson wasn’t about to take any chances.
“I did what any other mother would do to protect her children.”
Mississippi mom Jessica Bond Ferguson said she shot and killed one of the monkeys that escaped after a truck overturned last week, fearing it posed a threat to her children and others in the neighborhood.…
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 3, 2025
She said her 16-year-old son ran inside, panicked, after spotting the animal near their property. That’s when she jumped into action, calling the police and heading outside with her phone in one hand and a firearm in the other. Roughly 60 feet from her home, she spotted the monkey. According to her account, she fired a warning shot, but the monkey didn’t move. She shot again, and the animal fell.
“I did what any other mother would do to protect her children,” Bond Ferguson told the Associated Press. She explained that with police and animal control still not on the scene, she was afraid the monkey might escape and pose a risk to someone else’s kids nearby. “If it attacked somebody’s kid, and I could have stopped it, that would be a lot on me,” she said.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on social media that a homeowner had reported encountering one of the monkeys on Sunday morning, but did not offer further details. Officials from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks took custody of the animal after the incident.
Mississippi woman kills escaped monkey fearing for her children’s safety
Jessica Bond Ferguson told The Associated Press that she was in bed Sunday when her 16-year-old son alerted her to a monkey running through the yard of their home near Heidelberg. Bond Ferguson said… pic.twitter.com/fwXatuMId0
Should residents take immediate action against perceived animal threats for safety?— michelle selaty (@michelle_selaty) November 3, 2025
The monkey shooting came days after a truck transporting 21 rhesus monkeys crashed near Heidelberg on October 27. The monkeys were being transported in wooden crates, which spilled open in the crash. Video from the scene showed the primates darting through tall grass near the highway. Out of the original 21, 13 were recovered at the crash site and transported safely. Five reportedly died during the search, and three had remained unaccounted for until Sunday.
Tulane University initially stated the monkeys were part of its National Primate Research Center, but later clarified that the animals did not belong to them. The university told NBC News that the monkeys came from another organization and were not infected with any diseases. Despite this, police were originally told by the truck driver that the monkeys might carry COVID-19, hepatitis C, and herpes. This incorrect information reportedly influenced law enforcement’s response.
Authorities reportedly euthanized some monkeys as a precaution after being described as “aggressive” and a potential health risk. Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson said they acted based on the information provided by the transport driver, who allegedly claimed the monkeys posed a danger to humans.
Although Tulane later stated that the monkeys had undergone health screenings and were clear of pathogens, concerns about public safety remained high. Officials from multiple agencies, including the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, and an animal disposal company, were involved in the recovery effort.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol is still investigating what caused the crash. The incident happened about 100 miles from Jackson, the state’s capital.
Rhesus monkeys can weigh anywhere from 9 to 26 pounds and are known to show aggression under certain conditions. These traits make them both useful for research and difficult to manage outside of controlled environments.
While questions remain about how the monkeys were being transported and who ultimately bears responsibility for the mishap, residents like Bond Ferguson say they had no time to wait for answers. With kids playing in yards and families unsure of what the monkeys were capable of, one mother took matters into her own hands — and many neighbors seem to believe she did what she had to do.
