Australian police officers are now working with international authorities in an ongoing manhunt for a man who allegedly threw boiling coffee on a baby in Queensland.
The man, identified only as a 33-year-old foreign national, reportedly poured scalding coffee on nine-month-old boy Luka in an unprovoked attack at Hanlon Park in Brisbane.
The incident left the child with severe burns to his back, chest, chin, and neck. An off-duty nurse took the baby to her apartment where they ran his burns under cold water before rushing him to the hospital. He has since undergone multiple surgeries and skin grafts to treat the burns, CNN reported.
Ongoing International Manhunt
Following the incident, Queensland Police (QPS) said the suspect fled by foot and took a cab to the city center. He then drove by car to New South Wales before flying out of the country from Sydney Airport on Aug. 31, nearly four days after the attack.
Queensland Police Detective Inspector Paul Dalton did not disclose which country the 33-year-old fled to. However, he noted that they are now working with foreign authorities to capture the man.
"The man has since left the county and Queensland Police are working with national and international partner agencies to progress this investigation further," the QPS said in a statement.
Who Is the Suspect?
Authorities have not released the man's identity to avoid jeopardizing the investigation. Dalton only described the 33-year-old as an "itinerant worker" who has entered Australia on various work and holiday visas since 2019.
The 33-year-old is believed to have last entered the country in January 2022.
Police have visited several addresses in New South Wales and Victoria where the man lived. Dalton said they have also spoken to the suspect's colleagues.
Queensland Police have issued an arrest warrant for the suspect. When caught, he will face charges over acts intending to cause grievous bodily harm. The charge carries a possible life sentence, per BBC News.
It is currently unclear what led the 33-year-old to throw hot coffee at Luka.
