EXCLUSIVE
The parents of the baby who had hot coffee poured over him by a stranger in a park have announced they’re engaged in a happy update to the sickening incident.
Their then nine-month-old son, Luka, was on a picnic with his mother and her friend in Brisbane‘s Hanlon Park in August when a mystery man attacked him in broad daylight.
Luka suffered burns to 60 per cent of his body and was covered in bandages from head to toe as doctors treated the horrific injuries.
The attacker was captured on CCTV footage fleeing the scene but is believed to have fled to China before Queensland Police could identify him.
Australia rallied around brave Luka and his family in the wake of the senseless attack, with a GoFundMe appeal raising more than $230,000 to help fund his recovery.
The couple have since bought a new home and moved to a new area for a fresh start in the wake of the shocking incident.
Now Luka’s parents have revealed their wedding plans, amid fears the hunt for his attacker has now stalled.
‘Starting 2025 with my best friend as my fiancé,’ Luka’s mum posted to her Instagram alongside a photo proudly displaying her diamond ring.
Luka’s dad popped the question to his partner on New Years Eve
Little Luka suffered burns to 60 percent of his body after a stranger threw hot coffee over him
‘We are so happy, it definitely was the perfect way to start the year off,’ the mother told Daily Mail Australia.
She revealed how Luka’s father got down on one knee in their new home to pop the question on New Year’s Eve.
‘I love you and I love our little family,’ his mum added to the caption as the couple celebrated with a loving kiss.
Friends and family were quick to post their congratulations.
‘You so deserve all the happiness life can bring,’ wrote one friend. ‘This is wonderful news,’ added another.
The parents are still desperate for answers and an arrest of the suspect seen in the CCTV clip, but they admit they are beginning to run out of hope.
The attacker is believed to have fled from Queensland to Victoria in the wake of the attack before he flew out of the country from Sydney Airport on August 31.
The couple who have two children together moved house after the attack
Brave Luka has undergone multiple surgeries since the attack
Just a few hours later, detectives managed to identify and name the suspect.
A warrant for the suspect’s arrest has now been issued for ‘acts intending to cause grievous bodily harm’, which carries a possible life sentence.
But almost six months on, Luka’s mother has revealed the investigation has seemingly ground to a halt.
‘I haven’t posted about Luka’s case for justice in a while,’ she posted on social media last week.
‘I have tried to remain hopeful while also not letting this consume my thoughts. Well, today it has.
‘I’m feeling extremely defeated this morning. No progression on our case and at a standstill from what we have been told.
‘Super upsetting when you see others getting the justice they deserve, which is so fantastic to see and hear, but then your boy isn’t receiving the same.’
At the time of the attack, detectives said the suspect had some knowledge around police investigations and was ‘aware of what we do to find people’.
The attacker is still at large after fleeing the country
Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said the alleged attacker was ‘aware of police methodologies’ and had been ‘conducting counter-surveillance activities’.
In turn it ‘made the investigation quite complex’, he said.
‘This is probably one of the most complex and sometimes frustrating investigations I’ve had to be involved in and lead,’ he added.
Police say they still don’t know why the attack took place, although there was speculation in China that it may have been in response to a visa application refusal.
‘There’s not many investigations where you don’t get a clear motive. It’s strange,’ DI Dalton said.
The man’s name or the location he fled to has never been released to the public with police concerned it may hamper their investigation.
A Queensland police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that investigations were still ‘ongoing,.’
‘No updates available at this time,’ they added.
