The mother of a baby who suffered severe burns after a stranger doused him with scalding coffee has revealed it could take years for her son to recover.
The mother was on a picnic with her son Luka in Hanlon Park, southeast of Brisbane, when a Chinese national approached them and dumped a thermos of hot coffee on the baby before fleeing on August 27.
Baby Luka suffered severe burns to 60 percent of his body, including his face, upper body and arms.
The boy, now aged one, has undergone seven operations at Queensland Children’s Hospital since the sickening attack.
Luka’s mother has revealed that her son has a long road to recovery as he recovers from the mental, emotional and physical damage of the attack.
“In those first few weeks, we had no idea what his future would be like, especially since the burns were so significant.” she said The courier mail.
“He didn’t bathe for like a month when he had all the bandages on, and when we poured water on his head when we were bathing, he started screaming.”
Luka’s mother said her son was still “cautious” around people and had become shy when in groups, often hiding behind his legs before warming up to people.
Baby Luka suffered severe burns to 60 percent of his body, including his face, upper body and arms, after a stranger doused him with boiling coffee while he was in the park with his mother.
Luka’s mother explained that her son had a long road to recovery until he recovers from the emotional, mental and physical damage caused by the attack.
Since then, he has become more comfortable bathing and relaxes around people once he assesses the situation.
Luka’s mother said her son’s skin had “healed very well” since the synthetic skin grafts, however his father explained that the scars would take years to heal.
“Right now we’re definitely optimistic, it’s already looking better than we thought,” Luka’s father said.
“Hopefully, by the time I’m a teenager you won’t even be able to see the scars anymore.”
In another blow to the family, experts have warned it could take years to bring Luka’s attacker to justice.
The 33-year-old man responsible for the attack was captured on CCTV footage leaving the park.
However, three days after the attack, he flew out of Sydney Airport with his passport just hours before police confirmed his identity.
Queensland Police, together with the Australian Federal Police, have issued an arrest warrant for the man wanted for acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.
“Cooperation between domestic and foreign agencies is important and progress is being made,” QPS and AFP said in a joint statement.
The 33-year-old man responsible for the attack was captured on CCTV footage leaving the park.
Detectives know his name and nationality, but refuse to reveal them publicly for fear of jeopardizing the investigation.
Legal experts have warned that the extradition process could be long and challenging even when authorities locate and arrest the man.
Jasmina Ceic, a partner at extradition law firm Nyman Gibson Miralis, said it could take years to bring the man back to Australia.
He explained that documents, affidavits, evidence, finding where he lived and confirming his identity could take “a minimum of three years.”
Ceic added that authorities could take up to five years to begin the extradition process, since it is extremely complex and depends on the cooperation of another country.