By Jessica Black, ABC
A baby was badly injured in at attack in a Brisbane park, Australian police say. (file photo) Photo: AFP/ ABC Far North - Isaac Egan
This story contains details of harm to a child, that may upset some readers.
A foreign national alleged to have poured boiling coffee on a baby boy in a Brisbane park fled the country as little as 12 hours before investigators could confirm his identity, Australian police say.
Nine-month-old baby Luka was seriously burned in the attack at Stones Corner on 27 August as he sat with his mum on a picnic rug, with another mother and her baby. He has since undergone multiple surgeries.
On Monday, police said the 33-year-old man accused of the crime was in New South Wales on 28 August, and flew out of Sydney airport on 31 August.
Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said the man left the country on his own passport, a day before police confirmed his identity.
A warrant has been obtained for acts intending to cause grievous bodily harm, which carries a possible life sentence.
In the days after it happened, police described it as "almost like an ambush".
Family 'devastated'
The baby's mother and father, who spoke shortly after the press conference, said they were "devastated" to hear the man had fled.
"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," she said.
She said she'd been living in "fear, anxiety, stress" since it happened.
"I had no idea where this person was, I didn't want to leave this hospital because it became our safe space," she said.
"Returning home I had panic attacks, and still continue to do so. I do feel relief that he's not in this country, in some sense, but I will always have fear and anxiety being out in public with my son. It's affected my mental health for the rest of my life."
She said she felt "immense sadness" for her son and the pain he felt that day and continues to feel.
"It should be a happy, joyful time. I'm a first-time mum and he's taken that away from me," she said.
Detective Inspector Dalton said the accused was "aware of police methodologies" and had been "conducting counter-surveillance activities".
This "made the investigation quite complex", he said.
"This is probably one of the most complex and sometimes frustrating investigations I've had to be involved in and lead," he said.
Asked about countersurveillance, Detective Inspector Dalton said the man was "aware of what we do to find people".
But police "can find no motive", he said.
"There's not many investigations where you don't get a clear motive. It's strange," Detective Inspector Dalton said.
He said releasing the man's name, or where he had fled to could put the investigation at risk.
Baby Luka has had to undergo a number of surgeries as a result of the burns. (File photo) Photo: Ministry of Health / Supplied
Man has travelled in and out of Australia since 2019
Detective Inspector Dalton said the first name given to police was incorrect.
"It wasn't until the first of September that we were able to put a name to the face in the CCTV. Even at that stage, we probably didn't have enough evidence to obtain a warrant," he said.
"We've since been to New South Wales and Victoria to gather that information, and the warrant has been granted."
An image from footage released by Queensland Police: Detective Inspector Dalton said police were "certainly satisfied that he was in the area after the offence". Photo: Supplied/ Queensland Police Service
Detective Inspector Dalton said the man had been in and out of Australia since 2019 and had been "lawful" each time.
"There's no adverse holdings that we can find on him in Australia," Detective Inspector Dalton said.
He said the man had been in Australia under a visa and had addresses "across the eastern seaboard" but not Queensland.
Those included addresses in the outer suburbs of Sydney and Victoria.
The man, who was described at the time as 30 to 40 years old, with proportionate build and tanned skin, was captured by several CCTV cameras.
Asked if airports had been alerted, Detective Inspector Dalton said the footage was shared with "a whole range of state and federal jurisdictions".
Recovery will take years
The boy's father said the child was in "good spirits".
He said his son had undergone a "pre-skin graft" procedure on Monday to encourage healing, but may still need further skin grafts on his neck and his chest.
"He was walking around the ward just before, he doesn't want to sit still," he said.
But the parents said baby Luka's recovery would take years.
"It's not just those surgeries, afterward it's laser, needling, massage, making sure movement isn't affected," his mother said.
'We'll keep going until we find him'
Detective Inspector Dalton said police had interviewed the man's former colleagues, but had not identified any family members in Australia.
He did not rule out sending Queensland detectives overseas to investigate.
"I promised the beginning ... is that we'll keep going until we find him," Detective Dalton said.
"I've got 30 detectives working for me. They're devastated that they missed this person by 12 hours, I think."
Detective Inspector Dalton said police had not found where the man was staying in Brisbane, but that they were "certainly satisfied that he was in the area after the offence".
He said the man travelled to Sydney by car and police were looking for that vehicle, which is believed to be in NSW.
He said the man did not appear to work in any way with law enforcement but was an "itinerant" worker who had been employed in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
"The QPS [Queensland Police Service] are fully committed to doing everything we possibly can lawfully, to get this person back here to face justice," Detective Inspector Dalton said.
"There's still that appeal out there to the public. People may feel safe now that this person has fled Australia, to actually come forward to police.
"I encourage them to do that. There'll be no judgement on you whatsoever."
- This story was first published by ABC
