The nine-month-old child suffered “serious burns” to his face and limbs as a result of the random attack, which horrified the country last month.
Queensland Police are looking for a 33-year-old man who may be sentenced to life in prison for acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm. An arrest warrant has been issued for him.
On Monday, however, they announced that their primary suspect had left Sydney airport six days after the attack and had only been identified for 12 hours.
On August 31, the child was having a picnic in a suburban park with his family when he witnessed it.
Following immediate first aid, an off-duty nurse took the baby to her neighbor’s apartment to clean his burns with cold water.
But the child’s injuries were severe enough to necessitate several surgeries, and according to his parents, it would take years for him to fully heal.
Det Insp Paul Dalton informed the media that the incident’s motivation is still a mystery, calling the case one of his “most complex and frustrating” to date.
He verified that the police were aware of the suspect’s name and the nation he had gone to, but he cautioned that revealing the details at this time may compromise their investigation.
