Australian police are collaborating with international authorities to locate a man believed to have fled the country after pouring boiling coffee on a nine-month-old baby in Brisbane. The random attack, which occurred in late August, left the infant with severe burns on his face and limbs, requiring multiple surgeries and a long road to recovery.
Queensland Police have issued an arrest warrant for the 33-year-old suspect on charges of intending to cause grievous bodily harm, a crime that carries a potential life sentence. However, authorities revealed that the suspect fled Australia via Sydney airport just six days after the attack, evading capture by leaving 12 hours before police confirmed his identity.
The attack took place at a suburban park while the baby was with his family. Witnesses reported that a "strange man" approached and poured a flask of boiling coffee over the child before fleeing. Despite immediate first aid from an off-duty nurse, the baby suffered serious injuries.
Investigators have identified the suspect and know which country he fled to but have withheld details to avoid compromising the investigation. Described as an "itinerant" worker, the man had been traveling to Australia since 2019 and was familiar with police methods, reportedly conducting counter-surveillance to evade capture.
The baby’s parents expressed their devastation upon learning the suspect had left the country but felt relieved he was no longer in Australia. "It sounds like they were very close to catching him," the boy’s mother told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
A fundraising campaign for the baby has raised over A$150,000 (US$100,000) to support his medical treatment. The infant remains in good spirits but may require further skin graft surgeries.