Australian Police: Suspect in Baby’s Burning Allegedly Fled the Country

On September 9, police in Australia revealed the identity of a man accused of an unprovoked attack that left a 9-month-old baby severely burned by hot coffee. The suspect, a foreign national, has since fled the country.

A warrant for his arrest was issued on Monday, with charges that include acts intending to cause grievous bodily harm, a crime that could lead to life imprisonment. Detective Inspector Paul Dalton, who oversees the child protection and investigation unit in the South Brisbane district, announced this during a press conference.

The suspect, 33 years old, was reportedly in Australia legally and had no previous criminal history prior to the incident. He allegedly threw hot coffee at the infant on August 27 in Hanlon Park, Brisbane. He managed to leave the country on August 31, just days after the attack, using his own passport to board a flight from Sydney airport.

The baby sustained serious burns and was taken to a hospital, where he has since been released. Following the incident, police shared images and CCTV footage, hoping to gather information about the man’s involvement.

Detective Dalton described the investigation as one of the most complex and sometimes frustrating endeavors he has faced. He indicated that the suspect seemed to be familiar with police methodologies and was conducting counter-surveillance, complicating the investigation further.

Officers managed to identify the man in the CCTV footage on September 1, only a day after he had escaped the country. Dalton noted the suspect’s awareness of police efforts was apparent, complicating efforts to track him down.

The investigation remains perplexing, as no motive has been established for the attack. Dalton remarked on the unusual nature of the crime, particularly since there was no known connection between the suspect and the victim’s family.

Initial inquiries have been initiated with international partners, who are also now informed about the ongoing investigation. The search for the suspect’s vehicle, which he drove to Sydney, is active, and authorities believe it is still in New South Wales. The distance between Brisbane and Sydney is approximately 570 miles along the Australian coast.

Detective Dalton is leading a team of about 30 detectives who are just as committed to apprehending the suspect. He expressed disappointment that they missed the suspect by merely 12 hours after they had connected the name to the face seen in the footage.

“I was in the investigation center when we put a name to the face and it was a very happy room. However, just 15 minutes later we discovered we had lost him,” Dalton shared. This disappointment, he noted, quickly turned into renewed determination and resilience among the team to resolve the case.