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EXCLUSIVEDisturbing theory emerges about why a stranger poured hot coffee on an innocent baby
Criminal psychologist shares his theories
By Olivia Day For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 22:42 EDT, 28 August 2024 | Updated: 02:04 EDT, 29 August 2024
A criminal psychologist has suggested the man who poured a thermos of hot coffee on a nine-month-old baby may have acted on a 'hatred of young children'.
The little boy had been on a picnic with his mother in Hanlon Park in Brisbane on Tuesday when the man approached them at about midday.
He poured the coffee on top of the infant - who immediately began to scream - and was captured on CCTV fleeing the park on foot.
The nine-month-old reportedly sustained burns to 60 per cent of his body and has undergone surgery in Queensland Children's Hospital.
Dr Tim Watson-Munro told Daily Mail Australia that it was likely the man had 'cognitively rehearsed' the crime rather than acting on impulse.
'I suspect there was planning involved, even it was impulsive at the time,' he said.
'He knew about the consequences of his actions, hence the escape. It's more likely that he knew what he was doing, it's remote that it was a crime of impulse.'
The criminal psychologist also suggested some potential motives.
'Maybe he had a hatred of young children or a jealousy of young families, maybe he wanted the attention and was seeking notoriety,' he said.
'I think he's definitely a disturbed individual, this could have ended up in tragedy.'
Dr Watson-Munro said it would be highly traumatic for both the baby's mother and bystanders to witness such a 'terrible' and 'cowardly' attack.
'In my 46 years of dealing with criminals, I've seen it all, I've seen cruelty to children but I have never seen a baby attacked in a public place.
'It's beggars belief... to attack a baby in its early days of life. It turns my blood cold.'
Police on Thursday morning released a second photo of a man they wish to speak to in relation to the alleged assault.
The alleged attacker is described as aged 30 to 40 with a proportionate build, tanned skin and wore a black hat, glasses, a shirt and shorts.
Police have urged anyone that knows the man or has information to come forward.
The baby's parents are still reeling from the attack, saying they can't comprehend why someone would hurt an infant.
'I don't know who would think that's okay to harm an innocent little baby,' the mother told Nine Network.
'A sick freak,' the father then said.
'I'm just having flashbacks all the time about what happened and I wish that he had poured the coffee over me.
'I don't know who would think it is okay to harm a little, innocent baby.'
A friend of the boy's mother said she tried to chase after the man but tripped, before rushing back to pour her water bottle over the infant.
'This man was standing above him, behind him, and poured a Thermos of hot coffee over him. He just started screaming,' Zara Mazza told The Project.
'Essentially all I could hear was his mum screaming that "it's hot, it's hot coffee", so I ran back, picked up my water bottle and dumped it over him.
'I removed him from his mum and we laid him down on the picnic rug and we peeled his clothes away, which revealed the peeling of his skin which started to blister.'
A nurse-in-training offered a shower at her nearby apartment so water could constantly be running on the screaming infant.
The little boy will need regular dressing changes under anesthetic over the next few weeks but is in a stable condition, Ms Mazza said.
She has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family's hospital bills.
PEOPLE
Warrant Issued for Man Who Allegedly Threw Piping Hot Coffee on Baby in Unprovoked Attack
The victim, who was a 9-month-old boy, was with his family at Hanlon Park when he was attacked on Aug. 27
By Gabrielle Rockson Published on September 9, 2024 09:36AM EDT
Police are searching for a man who allegedly threw scalding coffee on a baby in Queensland, Australia.
On Monday, Sept. 9, Queensland Police confirmed in a statement that an arrest warrant had been issued after the attack on Aug. 27.
“Police have issued an arrest warrant for a man that may be able to assist with investigations into the assault of an infant in Stones Corner last month,” the press release read.
The victim, who was a 9-month-old boy, was with his family at Hanlon Park around midday at the time.
“A man not known to the group approached them and poured a hot liquid onto the child, before leaving the scene,” authorities said. “Emergency crews were called, and the young boy was taken to hospital with serious burns.”
Police say the boy has since been released from hospital, with Morningside Child Protection Investigation Unit detectives identifying the alleged suspect as a 33-year-old foreign national.
“The man has since left the county and Queensland Police are working with national and international partner agencies to progress this investigation further,” authorities said, per the release. “There is no further information available. Investigations are continuing.”
After the incident, police appealed for more information. They also released CCTV footage of the alleged perpetrator running from where the attack took place.
Wearing a black hat, blue shirt, shorts and glasses, the man in the video was captured running across roads and multiple pathways.
According to CNN, Queensland Police are working with international partners to find the man’s whereabouts. It’s been said he fled Australia four days after the unprovoked attack.
The outlet also reports the baby suffered burns on his legs, arms and face.
“It soon became apparent to us that this person was aware of police methodologies, was certainly conducting counter surveillance activities, which made the investigation quite complex,” Queensland Police Detective Inspector Paul Dalton told reporters, per CNN.
It’s reported that after taking a taxi to Brisbane’s city center and driving to New South Wales, the suspect took a flight from Sydney Airport on Aug. 31.
While police are unaware of the man’s motives, they have reportedly been able to identify his name, which they have chosen not to disclose.
PEOPLE has contacted Queensland Police for further comment
Update 08/17/2025:
New York Post
Migrant allegedly scalded baby with hot coffee in sickening random attack after visa application was rejected
By Brielle Burns, News.com.au
Published Aug. 17, 2025, 8:55 a.m. ET
Originally Published by: News.com.au
China is being urged to take action against a Chinese national who allegedly threw hot coffee on a nine-month-old baby despite the man being protected from extradition under Chinese law.
Baby Luka was with his mom in Hanlon Park on August 27, 2024 when a man, not known to the family, dumped a Thermos of hot coffee on him before fleeing the scene in a random attack which sparked public outcry.
The infant sustained burns to 60 percent of his body, including his face and upper body, and was forced to undergo multiple surgeries.
The man was captured on CCTV footage fleeing the scene but authorities were unable to track him down.
Just days after, the suspect – who was identified as a 33-year-old Chinese national – drove to New South Wales and flew out of Sydney on August 31. It is believed he returned to China via New Zealand.
Almost a year on from the incident, authorities are pushing for China to take action against the alleged offender, The Australian reports.
Under Chinese law, citizens cannot be extradited for prosecution to foreign countries.
It is understood that evidence from Queensland Police against the suspect has been provided to Chinese authorities. However, authorities have refused to confirm the move, the publication reports.
“There are ongoing conversations between Australia and China in relation to this matter,’’ an unnamed source told the publication, adding “it’s been made clear that they don’t extradite their own”.
Queensland Police last year put an arrest warrant out for the man for intending to cause grievous bodily harm, which carries a maximum life sentence.
In June, Acting Commissioner Shane Chelepy told radio station 4BC investigations into the “horrible incident” were ongoing almost one year on.
“This isn’t something we’ve parked in a corner; this was a very serious offence, and we’re working hard on it,” he said.
“What I can say is we’re still working with our international partners to progress this matter and to get a resolution here.
“We’ve got a range of investigative strategies.”
Acting Commissioner Chelepy said the incident “struck our investigators pretty hard” and paid tribute to their efforts in finding the culprit.
Radio host Peter Fegan asked the acting commissioner if Queensland Police had sent detectives to China, which he declined to answer.
“I don’t want to compromise investigative strategies,” he said.
Queensland Police Detective Inspector Paul Dalton revealed last year the man fled the country just 12 hours after they identified him.
“I was in the investigation centre when we put a name to the face and it was a very happy room, only for us to do a check in 15 minutes and find out we’ve lost him,” he said.
“We’ve got 30 detectives working for me. They’re devastated that they missed this person by 12 hours.”
Young boy still undergoing treatment
About to turn two in October, Luka is still undergoing treatment for the serious injuries he sustained during the attack.
“Luka still has to have regular surgeries; he gets laser and skin needling to reduce the appearance of the scars,” his parents, who did not wish to be named, told The Australian.
They added the young boy has scars on his chin, shoulder, and back, but “otherwise, he’s healed really well and is thriving in life”.
Luka’s mother previously told the Courier Mail in November that her little boy had become “a bit wary of people” since the incident.
“In those first few weeks, we had no idea what his future was going to look like, especially because the burns were so significant,” she said.
“He’s healed really well and baby skin is amazing and the synthetic skin graft that they did worked really well.”
His father said the prominent burns seen on Luka’s body after the incident had healed “better than we ever thought”.
“Hopefully by the time he becomes a teenager you won’t even be able to see the scars anymore,” he said.
Suspect arrived in Australia six years ago
Chinese media reported that the man had been on various visas since arriving in Australia in 2019, first using a working holiday visa and then switching to a student visa.
He has lived in a number of locations on Australia’s east coast and previously worked in a meat processing plant.
But when his most recent visa application was rejected, the suspect was reportedly furious and allegedly sought to take out his anger on baby Luka.
“Finally, he vented his anger and [allegedly] hurt a baby before leaving Australia,” reported China’s New Tang Dynasty Television.
A person claiming to be a co-worker of the suspect said he had a “brain problem” on Chinese social media.
“On the mainland social media ‘Little Red Book’, a Chinese person in Australia who claimed to know him, broke the news that this man has always been weird and difficult to deal with,” added NTD Television.
“He has been working in a meat factory with a study permit for a long time. Later, the meat factory did not require a study permit.”
The TV station added that Luka was “probably [attacked] to take revenge on the white people.”
Police say the suspect has no family or criminal record in Australia and had previously worked in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
In a statement to news.com.au, Queensland Police said the investigation is ongoing. “Investigators from QPS and AFP remain committed to securing justice for the victim and his family,” the statement said.
“Further information will be provided at an appropriate time.”
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