The three-year-old sister of a baby who was severely burned when a stranger threw hot coffee on her in a park is now afraid a “bad man” could come and hurt her.
Baby Luka was on a picnic with his mother and friends at Hanlon Park in Coorparoo, Brisbane, when an unknown man approached them and poured coffee from a thermos over the little boy at about midday on Tuesday.
As Luka’s frantic mother and her good Samaritans worked to cover him with cold water, his partner drove with their three-year-old daughter 9 miles away in Chermside.
While driving, she realized she had missed five calls from her partner and used her car’s Bluetooth speaker to call him back.
That’s how he and Luka’s sister found out about the horrific, unprovoked attack.
The news of her brother’s injuries has filled the little girl’s heart with fear, just days away from her fourth birthday.
“I contacted her (his partner) through the car’s speaker and my daughter, who turns four on Monday, was in the car,” the father said. The project Thursday night.
“She heard everything, I heard everything. It was all very hectic.
Luka (pictured with his mother on Thursday) suffered severe burns after a stranger threw hot coffee on him in a Brisbane park.
After learning about her brother’s injuries (pictured), Luka’s older sister was afraid that the “bad man” would attack her too.
Queensland Police are working to find a man (pictured) seen fleeing the park shortly after the attack.
‘She’s an incredibly intelligent girl, so she’s very aware of everything.
‘She even went so far as to ask, after seeing my son in the emergency room, “I hope the bad guy doesn’t hurt me,” stuff like that.’
The parents are still “trying to explain” it to their young daughter, but have not been able to see her face to face since the attack as they remain in hospital with Luka 24/7.
Luka’s mother admitted she no longer feels safe in public after the horrific incident.
The group had been in the park only 10 minutes before the incident occurred.
“I’m not sure how I’m going to feel safe leaving my house with my son in the future and I know it’s going to be a long road for me,” the mother told the show.
“I’m so grateful for all the support from the community and my friends and family have been so supportive… and my partner is fantastic as well, so having all that support around me, I know we’ll get through this together.”
Luka is expected to undergo his next surgery on Friday, where his parents will find out the full extent of his burns and whether he needs skin grafts.
“Her chin, her whole neck, her lower cheek, her chest and her back, these are deeper burns so they are more serious,” her father told the Courier Mail.
He also revealed that Luka had been ill recently.
Luka’s father (pictured with his partner) said his three-year-old daughter heard what happened to her little brother in the car.
Luka (pictured) remains in Queensland Children’s Hospital with burns to 60 per cent of his body.
“And he finally got better a few days before the incident. And that’s when his mother arranged a meeting with her friends and their babies at the park so he could see his friends,” the father added.
This comes after Luka’s mother shared a video of her baby walking and laughing for the first time since Thursday’s attack.
The baby remains in Queensland Children’s Hospital and faces several surgeries to recover from burns to 60 per cent of his body.
Luka had taken his first steps hours before suffering severe burns, so his parents were relieved to see that the wounds were not impeding his development.
“He seems happy again, which is nice to see because the last few days have been very, very difficult,” his mother said. 7News.
“He’s doing well. He’s really playing.”
Earlier on Thursday, Queensland Police released new images of the suspected perpetrator and details of his strange movements immediately after the attack.
After fleeing the park, he went to a church in nearby Tarragindi, where he changed his clothes in the open air.
He then took a carshare to Brisbane CBD and travelled to Caxton Street.
The man was wearing a black hat, glasses, a plaid button-down shirt and shorts.
He is described as being between 30 and 40 years old, of well-proportioned build, tanned skin and wearing a black hat, glasses, a shirt and shorts.
Luka (pictured in the park shortly before the attack) had taken his first steps just a few hours before the unknown person set him on fire.
Luka’s parents are now anxiously waiting for his attacker to be caught.
“I want this man caught and charged. He’s on the loose,” his mother told police. Brisbane weather.
“I’m anxious and worried that he’ll hurt someone else or us again.”
She and her friend were in the park with their babies for just 10 minutes when the unknown man approached and poured the scalding hot coffee over her child.
“If anyone has any footage of that area or who knows him, or lives next door to him, or anything like that, please come forward,” the mother said.
A GoFundMe campaign for Luka’s medical expenses has raised more than $65,000 in just over a day.
“This has restored my faith in the community and the goodness that is there,” the grateful mother said.
The GoFundMe page, set up by a family friend who was at the picnic that was attacked, described the man’s actions as “callous” and “random.”
“Luka is currently in hospital and is expected to remain there for a while, while he receives treatment for severe burns,” he wrote.
‘He has a long recovery ahead of him that will include more visits to the doctor, specialists and the hospital.
‘(I) would love to raise some money to cover medical or household expenses to help ease the pressure on my friend and her family while they take time to be home and help their beautiful boy heal.’
In a positive sign of recovery, Luka’s mother shared a video of the baby walking (pictured) and laughing for the first time since Thursday’s attack.
Luka (pictured) will undergo his next surgery on Friday
Luka’s mother said her son is “fine” considering he suffered burns on 60 percent of his body.
“He’s been playing, interacting, smiling and laughing, which has been really, really nice to see because the last few days he’s been miserable, uncomfortable and in pain,” she said.
“He’s stable right now and he’s having his second surgery tomorrow, so we’ll know more information about his burns tomorrow once he undergoes his second surgery.”
Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said on Wednesday that Luka was in a stable condition.
He described the attack as “cruel and cowardly” and “completely unprovoked.”
“When you look at the circumstances, particularly for us as parents, walking through a park on a beautiful winter’s day in Brisbane, enjoying time with your baby… to be approached like that and attacked in this way must be terrifying,” Dalton said.
‘In the 35 years I’ve been working as a police officer, I’ve never come across a job where a child this young, in these circumstances, has been attacked. It shouldn’t happen.
‘Everyone has the right to feel safe in our community.
“This type of behavior will not be tolerated and we have devoted every resource we possibly can (save) at this stage to holding this individual accountable.”
Inspector Dalton also assured Brisbane parents that his officers are “working around the clock” to find the man they believe is responsible for the attack (pictured).
A GoFundMe for Luka’s medical expenses has received more than $65,000 in just over a day
Inspector Dalton also assured Brisbane parents that his officers are “working around the clock” to find the perpetrator.
The Child Protection and Investigation Unit is assisting in the search.
Anyone who recognises the man or has any information that could assist inquiries is urged to contact Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers.