‘Sending you all the strength in the world’: Aussies rally to support baby boy attacked with coffee in Brisbane

Australians have banded together in an incredible show of support for the family of a baby who was left with horrific burns after a man poured hot coffee all over him. The nine-month-old baby was having a picnic with his mother at a park in Brisbane when a man allegedly approached the boy and poured hot coffee on him. The boy was left with serious burns on up to 60 per cent of his body and has undergone four surgeries, with the potential he may also need a skin graft. Now more than $150,000 has been raised for the family via GoFundMe, with Australians jumping in with words of support for the baby. “Sending you all the strength in the world and to your precious beautiful baby … may he make a full recovery and receive the best treatment available,” one person wrote. “Just horrifying and unbearable. I am truly sorry for this suffering. I hope the culprit is found,” another added. The fundraiser was started to collect money for the baby’s medical costs, with the organiser expressing their gratitude for the support amid such a “difficult and traumatic time”. “We have been blown away by all the support, both with donations and those reaching out with words of encouragement,” the fundraiser states. “This go fund me will be able to support (the baby) with all of his ongoing care needs which is truly a weight lifted off our shoulders. “He is such a strong little boy and we are so so proud of him.“This horrific event should have never happened. Hopefully one day justice will be served.” Queensland Police on Monday said the 33-year-old man accused of the attack had fled the country on his own passport a day before police identified him. He travelled by car to NSW on August 28 before flying out of Sydney airport on August 31, police said. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, while the baby’s parents – who have asked to remain anonymous – said it was “heartbreaking” to hear the alleged attacker had fled. “It sounds like they were very, very close in catching him, and this obviously means that we’re going to have to wait who knows how long to get justice for our son,” the mother told the ABC after the press conference. “It’s a bit heartbreaking.” The mother said she would continue to live with anxiety while in public with her son. “It’s affected my mental health for the rest of my life,” she said. The past weeks have been immensely hard for the mother and her family who received minimal updates from police to avoid impeding the investigation. However, the family was informed the alleged attacker had fled. “Within a matter of days of the attack, he had already fled the country and actively avoided police tactics to track him down,” the mother wrote to social media. “I’ve lived in constant fear for two weeks that he might attack us again. I had no idea what this man was capable of, the anxiety has been extreme.” While she said she felt some comfort in knowing the man was no longer in the country, she said there was an “excruciating amount of anger” about him not being apprehended. “We now have to wait weeks, months or even years until justice is served for our boy,” she said.