Latest news with #coffeeattack
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Unexpected twist in baby scalded with hot coffee saga: Clue China could act over crime that appalled Australia
Australian authorities have hinted Chinese police may arrest a man accused of scalding a baby with hot coffee in Brisbane last year. Nine-month-old Luke was in Hanlon's Park with his mother in August when the man allegedly threw a thermos of hot coffee on the baby before fleeing. Luka was left with serious injuries following the alleged incident and has undergone repeat surgeries. Police said the alleged offender is believed to be in China where local police are cooperating with Australian authorities to bring him to justice. 'China has extraterritorial jurisdiction to prosecute its citizens for conduct which occurs outside China,' Australian Federal Police said on Wednesday. 'The AFP and (Queensland Police Service) continue to work in close partnership to explore options for progressing this matter and are pursuing all available avenues.' It follows earlier revelations by the Weekend Australian the two countries had engaged in high-level discussions to 'find a resolution to the matter'. The identity and whereabouts of the alleged offender is known to Chinese authorities. More to come.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Mother of baby boy scalded by stranger in random hot coffee attack unleashes on the legal system a year after the monster responsible fled to China
The mother of a baby who has undergone eight operations in the last year after a stranger allegedly poured hot coffee on him has begged Australian authorities not to take another year to catch the person responsible. Nine-month-old Luka suffered horrific burns when boiling hot coffee was poured over him by a stranger during a picnic in Brisbane 's Hanlon Park on August 27, 2024. A 33-year-old man allegedly responsible later fled the country and returned to China, where he is protected from extradition back to Australia under Chinese law. Almost a year after the ordeal, Luka's mother, who cannot be named, confirmed on Tuesday that her son has undergone eight operations. 'Every procedure is a painful reminder of what was done to him — and of the justice that still hasn't come,' she said in a social media post seen by ABC News. 'He's received synthetic skin grafts, skin needling, and laser treatments for his burns.' The mother described it as 'beyond unacceptable' that the man had not faced consequences, calling it 'one of the hardest things to endure'. 'To those in positions of power: please don't make it another year. Do not let this man escape accountability for hurting a child!' 'Our legal systems and international relationships should protect victims and children, yet they have failed to do so,' the woman said. A spokesperson for Queensland Police said investigators and Australian Federal Police remain committed to securing justice for the victim and his family. The Daily Mail has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment. Since Luka's ordeal, Australian authorities have been urging China to return the unnamed 33-year-old for prosecution, but they have been consistently denied. Chinese law rules that no Chinese nationals can be extradited to face prosecution abroad for crimes allegedly committed overseas. Former NSW detective and University of Western Sydney adjunct professor Michael Kennedy has previously said there was little Queensland police could do to have the man accused of burning Luka returned to Australia. 'All the Queensland police can do in reality is take out an arrest warrant for this bloke, put him on the watch list for the airport and wait for him to come back,' he said. 'China isn't going to send him back here under any circumstances because they just don't do that. The man allegedly responsible boarded a flight to China days after the incident Luka, who will turn two in October, is continuing his recovery. His mother said he has a 'strength that continues to outshine the cruelty he experienced'. 'Despite everything he has endured and continues to endure, he is healing with a spirit that amazes us every single day,' she said. Australian authorities have maintained silence on the fate of the alleged attacker, with detectives declining to reveal their available options. It is understood that Queensland Police have forwarded their detailed evidence against the man to Chinese authorities for their consideration. The man was said to have approached Luka slowly before emptying his beverage and breaking into a sprint as he fled the scene. Both his attack and escape, fleeing the Brisbane park following the incident, were captured on CCTV. Following his departure, the man is believed to have driven to Sydney and immediately boarded a flight out of the country on August 31. CCTV footage has shown the man allegedly accountable for the ordeal as he fled the scene Initially, Australian police provided the public with an incorrect name for the man and were unable to verify his true identity until he was already out of the country. (It was revealed that the attack took place after the man learnt his request to extend his visa in Australia had been denied. The 33-year-old had been in Australia since 2019, working in a warehouse and an abattoir at various times. The man is known to Chinese authorities and has been extensively covered by local media. Investigators from the Queensland Police Service and the Australian Federal Police have been in contact with China over the man's whereabouts.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Brutal message family of burned baby doesn't want to hear as China 'refuses' to send back alleged fugitive accused of coffee attack
A former criminal investigator has warned the only way a Chinese man accused of throwing hot coffee on a baby in Queensland will ever be arrested is if he willingly returns to Australia. Nine-month-old Luka had boiling hot coffee poured over him in Brisbane 's Hanlon Park on August 27 last year. The man allegedly responsible poured an entire thermos on Luka before fleeing the country from Sydney to China, evading capture. Ever since, Australian authorities have been urging China to return the unnamed 33-year-old for prosecution, but the requests have constantly been denied. Chinese law dictates that no Chinese nationals can be extradited to face prosecution abroad for crimes allegedly committed overseas. Michael Kennedy was a NSW detective who is now an adjunct professor at the University of Western Sydney and a senior lecturer in policing at the University of New England. Professor Kennedy said there was little Queensland police could do to have the man accused of burning Luka returned to Australia. 'All the Queensland police can do in reality is take out an arrest warrant for this bloke, put him on the watch list for the airport and wait for him to come back,' Professor Kennedy told the Daily Mail. 'The reality is the guy's gone back to China and China isn't going to send him back here under any circumstances because they just don't do that. 'So all they can do in Queensland is put a brief together, put it in a file, take out a first instance warrant for the bloke so that if he comes back he'll be arrested, which he won't.' Luka, who will turn two in October, is continuing his recovery. As the one-year anniversary of the attack approaches, police say they remain determined to find the man responsible. Australian authorities have remained quiet on the fate of the alleged attacker but detectives have continued to refuse to confirm what options they have at their disposal. That refusal of disclosure extends to what they may have offered their Chinese counterparts in exchange for handing over the man allegedly responsible. Professor Kennedy said Australia could not successfully put pressure on China to extradite the man and it would not be a priority for the Chinese to turn him over. 'There's all sorts of factors,' he said. 'The major one is he's not here, he's in China. 'Secondly, to get him back we've got to have an extradition arrangement, which we don't. 'And and thirdly, you've got to convince the Chinese authorities it's in their interest to do it and yet in every second breath we're criticising China for their breaches of human rights. 'The problem is that in dealing with these things the government has to be careful they're not damaging other relations with China.' If China were to facilitate one of its citizens facing an Australian court, Professor Kennedy did not think it would be for an alleged crime such as assault occasioning bodily harm. 'China's not going to send him back here for pouring coffee on someone,' he said. 'I doubt even if we had a good relationship with China that that's an offence that would require someone to be extradited.' Professor Kennedy could not see the Australian Federal Police providing any useful help. 'It's a state-based crime,' he said. 'The federal police have no jurisdiction in this matter other than if they're going to extradite the bloke.' Professor Kennedy also said despite CCTV allegedly capturing the attack and the man fleeing the scene there was no guarantee he would be convicted in an Australian court. 'We're assuming that CCTV can identify someone and it can't,' he said. 'CCTV is all very well and good but then you've got to prove that the person on the CCTV is the person that you're accusing. 'The big question at the end of it for an expert would be, is it possible, especially for someone who is Chinese, that this is someone else? 'And the expert has got no choice but to say, yes it is possible. There's your reasonable doubt.' It is understood Queensland police have forwarded their detailed evidence against the man to Chinese authorities for their consideration. Australian officers have said they were intent on 'finding a resolution to the matter', months after they were able to identify the suspect. Luka's parents said he was still undergoing treatment. 'Luka still has to have regular surgeries, he gets laser and skin needling to reduce the appearance of the scars,' they told The Australian. 'The scars are on his chin, shoulder and a little bit on his back. 'But otherwise, he's healed really well and is thriving in life.' The man was said to have approached Luka slowly before emptying his beverage and breaking into a sprint as he fled the scene. Following his departure, the man is believed to have driven to Sydney and immediately boarded a flight out of the country on August 31. Initially, Australian police provided the public with an incorrect name for the man and were unable to verify his true identity until he was already out of the country. Chinese media reported the man had entered and exited Australia many times since 2019 - initially using a working holiday visa before later switching to a student visa. Throughout that time, he lived in various locations on the east coast and worked in a meat processing plant. But when his latest visa application was rejected, the man's frustration allegedly erupted in the coffee attack, Chinese media reported. 'Finally, he vented his anger and [allegedly] hurt a baby before leaving Australia,' reported China's New Tang Dynasty Television. Investigators from the Queensland Police Service and the Australian Federal Police have been in contact with China over the man's whereabouts.
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Shocking update on man who poured hot coffee on a baby and then fled Australia - as police make grim admission
A Chinese national accused of throwing hot coffee on a baby before fleeing the country is still being hunted, police say. On August 27 baby Luka was at a picnic with this mother at Hanlon Park in Stones Corner, Brisbane, when the man, out of nowhere, poured scalding coffee on him, causing burns to more than 60 per cent of his body. Luka suffered life-threatening burns to his face, upper body and arms and has undergone four operations in Queensland Children's Hospital. The 33-year-old accused was on a student visa at the time and drove to NSW a day after the alleged attack before flying out of the country from Sydney on August 31. Chinese media reports revealed the man had entered and exited Australia many times since 2019 - initially using a working holiday visa before later switching to a student visa. Throughout that time, he lived in various places on Australia's east coast and worked in a meat processing plant. But when his latest visa application was rejected, the man's frustration allegedly erupted in the coffee attack, Chinese media reported. 'Finally, he vented his anger and [allegedly] hurt a baby before leaving Australia,' reported China's New Tang Dynasty Television. The man reportedly has 'a brain problem' according to a co-worker. The TV station alleged the man 'probably [attacked Luka] to take revenge on the white people, before running away'. On Thursday Queensland Police gave an update on the manhunt with Acting Commissioner Shane Chelepy telling 4BC radio that the investigation was 'absolutely' ongoing. 'This was a horrible incident that happened almost a year ago, it struck our investigators pretty hard,' Chelepy said. 'I give credit to those investigators, they're still working very hard on this, this isn't something we've parked in the corner, this is a very serious offence, and they're working hard on it. 'What I can say is we're still working with our international partners to progress this matter, and to get a resolution here.' Chelepy said police were limited in what they could reveal and he didn't deny or confirm that detectives were currently, or had been, in China. 'There are a range of investigative strategies under way, and we're going to keep these strategies at play,' he said.
