Australian police are collaborating with international authorities to track down a man believed to have fled the country after a shocking incident in which he poured boiling coffee on a nine-month-old baby in Brisbane.
The attack, which took place last month, left the infant with “serious burns” on his face and limbs.
Queensland Police have issued an arrest warrant for a 33-year-old man sought on charges of intending to cause grievous bodily harm, a crime that could result in a life sentence.
However, the suspect managed to leave the country six days after the attack, just 12 hours before police could confirm his identity.
The incident occurred on August 31 at a park where the baby was enjoying a picnic with his family.
Witnesses reported that a “strange man” approached, dumped a flask of boiling coffee on the child, and then fled.
An off-duty nurse at the scene administered first aid and took the baby to her apartment to cool his burns with cold water.
Despite these efforts, the child suffered severe injuries, requiring multiple surgeries and facing a long recovery.
Detective Inspector Paul Dalton described the case as one of the “most complex and frustrating” he has handled.
He confirmed that while police know the suspect’s destination and identity, releasing this information could hinder the investigation.
The man, an itinerant worker with addresses in New South Wales and Victoria, has been evading authorities with “counter-surveillance activities.”
The baby’s parents expressed their “devastation” over the suspect’s escape but also their relief that he is no longer in the country.
They face a prolonged wait for justice. “It sounds like they were very, very close in catching him,” the mother told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The father added that the boy is in “good spirits” but might require additional skin graft surgeries.
A GoFundMe campaign for the baby has raised over A$150,000 ($100,000, £76,000) to assist with his medical expenses.
Source-BBC
