Rowan Baxter with his estranged wife Hannah and their three children. Baxter deliberately set a car on fire, killing his children and wife. Photo / Facebook
Rowan Baxter with his estranged wife Hannah and their three children. Baxter deliberately set a car on fire, killing his children and wife. Photo / Facebook
WARNING: This article contains distressing content.
New details have emerged of Hannah Clarke's bravery in the final moments of her life.
Murderer Rowan Baxter ambushed his estranged wife and held a knife to her throat inside her car before he lit a match and killed his family, according to reports.
But not before Clarke, 31, made a final bid to save her three young children.
Clarke and Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3, burned to death after Baxter, 42, set the Kia Sportage on fire in Brisbane on Wednesday morning.
Until now, it wasn't clear how Baxter – who was under a restraining order – managed to get into Clarke's car with a can of petrol.
Rowan Baxter with his estranged wife Hannah and their three children. Baxter deliberately set a car on fire, killing his children and wife. Photo / Facebook
Her shattered father, Lloyd Clarke, has pieced together the timeline of events that led to the tragic loss of life and Baxter's suicide, the Daily Mail reports.
According to the site, despite suffering burns to 97 per cent of her body, Clarke reportedly managed to give police at the scene a detailed statement about how the attack unfolded as she went to take the children to school from her parents' home in Camp Hill.
"Rowan must have been lurking somewhere close, either hidden around the side of the house or in the neighbour's driveway," Clarke told the outlet.
"His car was found down the street, this was definitely premeditated."
Clarke put the children into the car and walked to the back seat to buckle Trey's seatbelt as the girls could do their own.
"He was very quick, being an ex-athlete. So as she's doing that, he's run into the passenger seat and held a knife to her throat and told her to drive," Clarke said.
Hannah's parents Lloyd and Suzanne Clarke and her brother Nathaniel. Photo / Channel 9
"She got down to the corner here, turned left, and saw a neighbour washing his car and drove towards him to get help."
According to witnesses, Clarke stopped the car next to Michael Zemek, and yelled "he's poured petrol on me". Baxter immediately lit the fire while he was still inside the car, the Daily Mail reports.
"When he gets trapped in a corner, he has no empathy so he would have just gone, 'Okay, that's it, light it, boom, gone'," Clarke said.
Moments later, Clarke jumped out of the car as her skin melted off her body. Zemek tried to help by dropping to the ground and rolling then extinguishing the flames with his garden hose.
Clarke died from her injuries in hospital a few hours later. Zemek was treated for minor burns to his upper body and face.
Baxter was declared dead on site after emergency crews attempted to revive him.
In early January, a Brisbane magistrate granted the police application for a domestic violence order (DVO) to protect Clarke and their children, 7 News reports.
Then, earlier this month, Baxter allegedly breached the DVO by contacting Clarke.
Police responded to the incident by serving Baxter with a Notice To Appear for the breach and he was due to face court in March.
"I can confirm that Queensland police have engaged with both Hannah and her estranged husband in relation to domestic violence issues," Brisbane Detective Inspector Mark Thompson told a media conference on Thursday.
Relatives say Baxter was stalking her every move and knew Clarke had a regular morning routine. On Wednesday, about 6.30am, just like every other day, she texted her coffee order to Blackbird Espresso, a few minutes' drive from her parents house, The Australian reports.
"As you may be aware my beautiful sister in-law and my nieces and nephew had their lives taken by a disgusting human being they called their father," Roberts wrote on the fundraising page, which had raised more than $88,000 as of Thursday night.
It is understood Mr Baxter, a former New Zealand Warriors player. Photo / File
"For all those who knew Hannah or had even just met her once would know how much of a beautiful soul she was, her children were her life.
"All she ever wanted was happiness. Her children were only a reflection of her. Gorgeous, happy kids who held a massive piece in my heart and I'm sure many others because that's exactly what they were like.
"We will miss them all more than anything."
SEXUAL HARM - DO YOU NEED HELP?
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111. If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone contact Safe to Talk confidentially: • Call 0800 044 334 • Text 4334 • Email support@safetotalk.nz • For more info or to web chat visit www.safetotalk.nz Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - DO YOU NEED HELP?
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you're in danger now:
• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people.
