Mum of boy scalded by coffee losing confidence in police investigation as attacker remains free
The mother of a baby boy randomly attacked with scalding coffee says her confidence in the police investigation is waning amid a lack of updates. She still hasn’t been told what country the alleged assailant fled to.
An unknown man reportedly came up behind the woman and her son at Hanlon Park about midday on August 27, tipping the hot contents of a Thermos on the nine-month-old before running away.
Police believe the foreign national then travelled half a kilometre on foot to the Apostolic Church Of Queensland in Annerley, where he changed his clothes and caught a rideshare car to the CBD.
The baby boy was seriously burnt when an unknown man threw hot coffee over him at a Brisbane park.Credit: Go Fund Me
Four days later and just hours before investigators say they confirmed his identity, the man flew out of Sydney Airport to an unknown country.
“It’s a bit frustrating … I would just like an update from police,” the mother – who has asked for her and her son to not be identified – told Brisbane Times on Thursday.
“At this point in time I’m not feeling confident because I don’t know what country he’s from, I don’t know what they’re actually doing or where they’re at in this process.
“If we get an update then maybe we’ll feel a bit more confident.”
The alleged attacker captured by CCTV cameras running from the park.Credit: Queensland Police
Police told Brisbane Times on Thursday there is no new information that can be made public on their attempts to find the alleged attacker.
The mother confirmed her young son is in good spirits and has healed significantly in the three weeks since the attack.
“He’s walking and crawling and laughing. You wouldn’t even know he’s been injured like this because he’s just very resilient and strong. It hasn’t stopped him from doing anything at the moment.
“He’s doing a lot better. He had his seventh surgery on Tuesday and doesn’t have to go under any more general anaesthetics.”
At the last press conference on September 9, police revealed they were investigating if the suspect had been “sleeping rough” in Stones Corner at the time of the alleged attack.
More than a dozen shop owners, residents and walkers approached by this masthead in the weeks after the crime said they had not seen him before.
Ruwan Kalu lives opposite Hanlon Park, and heard screams during the assault. His home CCTV system captured the now-infamous footage of a man running away down Junction Street.
Ruwan Kalu of Stones Corner on the street the wanted man was filmed after a baby was scalded with coffee in Hanlon Park. Credit: William Davis
“I don’t know why it happened. It’s really weird,” he told Brisbane Times.
“My daughter normally goes for a bicycle ride in the park every evening, and now I say ‘go before it gets dark’.
“My wife was really worried … Even I was scared after giving our footage to police. Is this a drug ring or criminal thing?”
A Gofundme page set up to assist the family with “any medical or household costs” has now raised $189,099 from more than 4000 donors.