Baby boy has hot drink poured on him in Brisbane park

The mother of the nine-month-old baby who had hot coffee poured over him in an shocking attack says her brave boy is likely to require skin grafts. It comes as police said they had 29 officers on the case.

A team of more than 20 police are working to hunt down a man who poured hot liquid over a baby in Stones Corner.

The man - who has been on the run for almost a week - approached two mothers at a park last Tuesday and poured scalding hot liquid from a Thermos over a mine-month-old baby boy.

The baby, Luka, suffered serious burns and remained in hospital on Monday.

The man was caught on CCTV running from the scene, but remains outstanding.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Kelly on Monday said a team of 29 police were working to find the man.

“We have many police working on this. We have 23 detectives, including specialists from our crime intelligence group. We also have another six intelligence experts looking at this case,” Mr Kelly said.

“We are determined to solve this case, and if anyone has any information, can they please contact their local police.

“I can assure we are putting every possible resource to it.”

The mother of a baby Luka,, burned by coffee in a shocking random attack in a Brisbane park has shared an incredible update as her son faces his third surgery. Picture: Supplied

It comes after Luka underwent further surgery on Friday for serious burns suffered in the shocking incident.

The procedure revealed burns to Luka’s neck and chest were likely to scar.

However, injuries to his face, arms, and legs should heal on their own with another surgery next week.

The boy’s mother took to social media this morning saying that little Luka would potentially need skin grafts.

“Like the burns under Luka’s neck and chest will scar and potentially need skin grafts,” the mother’s Instagram post read.

She said while it “wasn’t the news” she was hoping for but that “most of his face, arms, and legs should heal very well”.

“I’ve really struggled to cope with what’s happening to Luka; the cries, pain, any slight issue I am instantly triggered and brought back to the traumatic moment,” the woman wrote.

“Constant flash backs … I feel like a helpless mother right now who cannot support her son how she wants too … I love my boys more than anything in the world.”

The mother of a baby Luka,, burned by coffee in a shocking random attack in a Brisbane park has shared an incredible update as her son faces his third surgery. Picture: Supplied ,

The boy’s father told The Courier-Mail that the side of his face, his head, his arms, and legs and feet were mostly superficial.

“So they’re going to heal no problems,” he said.

“But his chin, all down his neck, the bottom of his cheek and his chest and back, are deeper burns, so they’re more severe.”

The distraught parents of little Luka last week issued a desperate plea for the community to help identify the perpetrator – as police vow not to rest until he is found.

Detectives had last week warned they would work around-the-clock to hunt down the man who approached two mothers and their babies at the Stones Corner park last Tuesday and poured hot liquid from a Thermos onto the nine-month-old boy.

Chilling video shows the man fleeing and was released by police last week.

The parents of a baby boy burned after a stranger poured hot coffee on him in a random attack have pleaded for help to find the attacker.

“My baby boy didn’t deserve this, no one does,” the mother posted online last week. “I wish he poured the hot coffee all over me and not my boy.

“This man needs to be found and charged.”

She urged anyone with CCTV in the area to hand it over to police.

“It’s torture, I’m supposed to be his protector and I couldn’t protect him,” she said. “I don’t know who would think that’s okay to harm an innocent little baby.” Her husband said: “A sick freak”.

The mother’s friend Zara Mazza, who gave chase after the man who managed to escape, described the horrific attack on a GoFundMe page she set up to help the family with medical expenses.

“On the 27th August 2024 at around 12pm, my friend and I were sitting in Hanlon Park at Stones Corner in Queensland with our two babies when a strange man came up behind her nine-month-old son and poured a Thermos of boiling hot coffee over his little body and then fled,” she wrote.

“This was a callous, random attack on my friend’s baby. He does not deserve this pain and suffering.”

Detectives have released new images of the man they wish to speak to in relation to the incident.

The fundraiser had already collected more than the $5000 target within hours, with funds to go towards medical or household costs during the “long recovery”.

The attacker is described as around 30 to 40 years old, of a proportionate build, with tanned skin.

He was wearing a black hat, glasses, a shirt and shorts.

Police have released CCTV of a man who may be able to assist police with their inquiries into the serious assault of an infant at a park in Stones Corner.

Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said he had never seen an incident like this in his 35- year career.

“To me, it is callous and cowardly when you look at the circumstances, particularly for us, who are parents, going to a park on a beautiful winter’s day in Brisbane, enjoying your time with your baby, a friend and their baby, and to be approached like this and attacked in this way must be terrifying for that person,” he said.

“Everyone has a right to feel safe in our community, this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated, and we’ve thrown all our resources that we possibly can at it at this stage to hold this person accountable.”

Inspector Dalton said police believed the attack was “completely unprovoked” but appeared to be a deliberate attack.

Detective Inspector Paul Dalton described the incident as ‘callous and cowardly’. Picture: Richard Walker

“Detectives have made contact with them this morning, she is obviously both her (the mother) and the baby’s father are obviously very distressed, as I said before, that circumstance is something either as a family or being a parent, that shouldn’t happen,” he said.

“And rest assured, we’ll work around the clock until we solve this matter.”

He sent a message to the perpetrator, saying: “Quite simply, get some legal advice. Give yourself up. Go to a police station. This is not going away, and we will keep going until we find you”.

Stones Corner mum Alice Retief.

Stones Corner resident Tony O’Keeffe.

Stones Corner mother Alice Retief described the incident as “shocking”.

“It’s shocking, it’s disgusting,” she said.

“We come down here quite often, so that’s quite scary.

“We bring our little baby down here and come to the dog park all the time, there’s lots of kids around, so it’s usually very safe.

“It’s really upsetting, I just hope the baby is OK.”

Stones Corner local Tony O’Keeffe said the incident was “disturbing”.

“It’s very disturbing to know young kids are suffering from the actions of this – it’s just terrible,” Mr O’Keeffe said.

“It’s a pretty good area, it’s just unfortunate with one action everyone will go ‘what happened there?’

“Hopefully they get the person and it’s a one-off and we all move on.”

Anyone who recognises the man, or who has any information that can assist investigations, is urged to contact police.

Police have set up a mobile police beat at Hanlon Park as part of their investigations into the disturbing incident.

Anyone with information was urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Policelink on 131 444.

Police at Hanlon Park, Stones Corner the day after the attack. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Originally published as Baby boy has hot drink poured on him in Brisbane park