Hanlon Park coffee attack: Heartbroken parents speak out about ‘punishment’ for man who burnt their baby

The heartbroken mother of a baby burnt after a man poured hot coffee on him in a park, is pleading for more information from Chinese officials as the hunt continues for the offender.

A Chinese national who has been identified and is wanted for the senseless act reportedly wanted “revenge on white people” after being denied another further Australian visa, a source in China has said.

The attack occurred in Hanlon Park, Brisbane on August 27, when baby Luka and his mother were set upon by the man before he poured hot coffee on the child and then ran away leaving the infant with ‘life-changing injuries’.

Emergency services transported Luka to hospital with serious burns and he has since been released after undergoing several surgeries - but will have lifelong injuries as a result.

Luka’s mother has spoken to 9NEWS and asked and is seeking information from the Chinese officials running the case.

“Where is he now?” she said.

“ Is he in jail now that the media knows who he is over there? Is he just walking the streets?

Luka’s father added: “ We just want him to be punished, here or there, we just want him to be punished.”

News.com.au is reporting police in Queensland only managed to identify him themselves after he’d already fled the country, with an international arrest warrant out for his arrest.

The man suspected of carrying out the attack drove to New South Wales a day later and fled from Sydney Airport on August 31.

Queensland Police have since put an arrest warrant out for the man for intending to cause grievous bodily harm, which carries a maximum life sentence.

The maximum penalty for the crime carries a life sentence.

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 several 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 Luke 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.

A statement from QLD police said: “Queensland Police are working with national and international partner agencies to progress this investigation further”.

Speaking to 4BC Radio on Thursday morning, Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Andrew Massingham said police were “very much committed” to arresting the man.

“Our international search continues for the person that committed that horrendous crime,” he said.

“That child will have those injuries for life.”

Queensland Police Detective Inspector Paul Dalton previously revealed 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.

“I was deflated, but that deflation quickly turned into determination and resilience to get the job done.”

Baby Luka suffered several injuries. Picture: ABC News

He has now undergone four operations at Queensland Children’s Hospital. Picture: Supplied

A GoFundMe was quickly set up for baby Luka’s medical bills, with the campaign reaching almost $200,000.

Luka’s parents provided an update on his condition on September 26 on the fundraiser page, revealing he had just had his first bath back at home.

Luka’s mum says she continues to have flashbacks of the horrific ordeal. Picture: ABC News

“Safe to say he had the time of his life,” his mum wrote.

“It’s a long road to recovery when it comes to scar management but the worst of it is over, and the outcome is far better than we ever imagined from those first few days.

“We now only have to attend outpatients once a week, a big improvement from the twice-a-week general anaesthetic surgeries.”

His mother had previously written about how she hoped “one day justice will be served”.

“This horrific event should have never happened,” she said.