Man poured petrol over two-year-old boy in 'horrific' home invasion

'The fact that someone has had petrol poured over them and then threatened to be burned alive is a horrific act,' says Acting Detective Inspector John Parker

Police tape stretches across a road in Australia (David Gray/Reuters)

Police are searching for a man who doused a woman and her two-year-old son in petrol during a home invasion in Australia.

According to investigators, two men wearing balaclavas kicked down the door of the property in Kay Street in the Launceston suburb of Kings Meadows, Tasmania around 7:00am on Wednesday.

They interrogated a 23-year-old woman about the whereabouts of two men they believed were in the home and quickly became aggressive.

The offenders assaulted and threatened the woman while trying to find out where the other two men were.

When they were unable to ascertain the information they wanted, they proceeded to pour petrol over the toddler before threatening to set him alight in the presence of his mother.

Authorities described the incident as “horrific”.

Acting Detective Inspector John Parker said: “Whether it be the mother or the child … the fact that someone has had petrol poured over them and then threatened to be burned alive is a horrific act.”

The suspects, who were known to the occupants, eventually left the premises with a large sum of cash.

Although the mother and the toddler were not physically injured during the attack, the woman was taken to the hospital.

“The child is fine, the petrol was only over the clothing,” Mr Parker said. “The mother ... appeared fine but as the day has gone on she's has had some complications from the petrol.”

Police are now urging witnesses with any information and anyone with CCTV footage in the area to come forward.

The man who poured the flammable liquid is described as average height with a thin build and is said to be aged between 35 and 45.

The second man is aged between 30 and 40, and was wearing dark coloured clothes.