Australia Launches Manhunt for Man Who Poured Scolding Coffee on Baby

Police in Australia have launched an international manhunt to find a man they believe fled the country after dumping hot coffee on a newborn in Brisbane. The random attack stunned the nation, left the nine-month-old infant with “serious burns” on his face and arms.

Queensland Police have issued an arrest warrant for a 33-year-old man wanted for causing grievous bodily injury, a charge that carries a maximum life sentence.

However, on Monday, they stated that their prime suspect flew out of Sydney Airport after the crime and only 12 hours before they could establish his identification.

According to Queensland Police the infant was having a picnic with his family in a suburban park when a “strange man” came up and emptied a flask of scolding hot coffee on him before fleeing on foot. An off-duty nurse who witnessed the horrific incident quickly poured cold water on the infants burns, before rushing the boy to the local hospital.

The baby boy sustained severe injuries that required multiple surgeries, and his parents believe he will need to recuperate for years.

The Suspect in known to police- ABC News Image

Detective Inspector Paul Dalton of the Queensland Police told media that the motive for the horrific crime is still unknown, adding that the case was one of the “most complex and frustrating” he has ever led.

He stated that police knew where the suspect had fled and his name, but that revealing the information at this time could compromise their investigation. The individual is a itinerant worker who has travelled to Australia several times since 2019, with addresses in both New South Wales and Victoria.

According to Pol Inspector Dalton the suspect was aware of “police methodologies” and had been “conducting counter-surveillance activities” to avoid detection. The Queensland Police is working with Australian Federal Police and Interpol to bring the man to justice.

On Monday, the baby’s parents informed the ABC News media that they were “devastated” to learn that the suspect had fled the country, but also relieved that he had.

“It sounds like they were very, very close to catching him, and this obviously means that we’re going to have to wait who knows how long to get justice for our son,” his mother said The young baby is “in good spirits,” according to his father, but he may yet require additional skin graft surgeries.

An internet fundraising website for the infant boy has raised over AUD$150,000 for the little boy.

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