International manhunt launched for man who threw hot coffee on baby

The attack was completely random.

The incident happened in Brisbane, Australia, last month which shocked the country and international community as a baby was left with "serious burns" to his face and limbs.

The baby was attacked by the suspect on 31 August in a suburban park with witnesses talking of a "strange man" that approached the child before emptying a flask of hot coffee on the baby and fleeing on foot.

International manhunt launched for man who threw hot coffee on baby

Immediately the child was given first aid, with an off-duty nurse on hand to take the baby to her nearby apartment where she ran his burns under cold water.

Despite this, the injuries the child was subjected to were serious enough for the baby to require multiple surgeries, with his parents saying he is now on a years-long road to recovery.

The motive behind the incident is still unknown.

Initially a warrant was issued for a 33-year-old by Queensland Police following the incident, however, after the man fled the country, Australian Police had to call upon their international equivalents for help.

Police said that the main suspect left Australia from Sydney airport six days after the incident and 12 hours before his identity could be confirmed.

Det Insp Paul described the case as one of the “most complex and frustrating” he had ever led.

He confirmed that police know the name of the suspect and which country he has fled to, but would not disclose any further information at risk of jeopardising the investigation.

Other information on the suspect revealed that the man is an "itinerant" worker who had regularly travelled to Australia since 2019 with addresses in both New South Wales and Victoria.

Meanwhile, Dept Insp Dalton said the suspect was aware of "police methodologies" and had also been "conducting counter-surveillance activities" to evade them.

On Monday the parents of the baby said they were "devastated" to hear the suspect had fled Australia, but equally relieved he was gone.

The baby's mother told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: "It sounds like they were very, very close in catching him, and this obviously means that we're going to have to wait who knows how long to get justice for our son."

Meanwhile, his father added that the boy is in "good spirits", but may require further skin graft surgeries.

An online fundraising page for the baby boy has so far raised more than A$150,000 (£76,000).