Autry shot to notoriety after climbing into a lion’s enclosure at a zoo in the Bronx, New Jersey. She danced in front of the creature and taunted him, but managed to escape unscathed, Metro news reports.

When speaking to a reporter, Autry said she is in fact a reincarnated lion while en route to appear in court for a shoplifting charge in Kearny, New Jersey.

‘I am the lion now. Can’t you tell? Have you ever heard of reincarnation? ‘Do your history young man!. ‘Do your history, it’s called reincarnation. I am the lion now.’

Despite her reckless behavior sparking an outcry, Autry remains totally unrepentant about her risky behavior, and claims she was never in any danger thanks to a small moat between her and the lion.

Autry told NBC New York: ‘I fear nobody. No animal, no human, no one. So no, I wasn’t fearing of the lion because the lion loved me. ‘That’s why he came to me and I let the lion know: Lion, I love you.’

Autry refused to comment on the shoplifting allegations against her but is still wanted on a criminal trespass charge over the Bronx Zoo incident, but says she will hand herself in to police on an unspecified date.

While been escorted out of the premises, Autry had a message for her lion ‘friend,’ telling him: ‘I love you lion, hope they treating you right in the zoo. Know Myah love you. ‘I didn’t mean to mistreat you or nothing. ‘I seen how you came to me. We connected. To the kids, respect your parents please. Your teachers. Authority