Rowan Baxter wrestles with his youngest son in a Facebook video. Photo / Supplied
Rowan Baxter wrestles with his youngest son in a Facebook video. Photo / Supplied
The New Zealand-born father at the centre of the car fire in Brisbane that left three children and his wife dead had posted a video of him wrestling with his children in the weeks before the horrific incident.
Former NRL player and CrossFit coach Rowan Baxter's Facebook page is littered with photos and videos of his three children, Laianah, Aaliyah and Trey, who died along with their parents in the blaze in Camp Hill, Brisbane.
Baxter originally from Tauranga with his children at home in Brisbane, January 2020. Photo / Supplied
The fire also killed his wife Hannah Baxter, a fellow fitness coach at the couple's Integr8 gym in Capalaba, who died of severe burns hours after being admitted to hospital.
Mr Baxter's social media shows tributes to his children, including one video from January 8 where he wrestles with his young son and pretends to break his neck.
A woman filming the video can be heard laughing along with the children, however the youngest boy, Trey, ends up in tears.
The video is captioned: "Sweet dreams my babies xo. Love you to the moon and back #nowords #dad #myworld."
Another video from September shows Mr Baxter holding a handstand while the three children hit him with pool noodles.
"Human piñatas," he wrote. "When mums away the kids will play & that's including me. They smashed me for about an hour & the laughs were just uncontrollable … #daddydaycare #myworld #familyfun #handstands #fun."
Comments on his Facebook profile hint at the ongoing troubles between the couple.
"Chin up brother everything will work out just hang in there my bro a lot of people care about you and the situation your facing," one friend wrote underneath a post.
The couple were involved in a custody battle and police had been called to previous family violence incidents, The Courier-Mail reports.
"T-R-E-Y. Love you to the moon and back #daddy," Baxter posted on Facebook last week, with a photo of his smiling son.
Another photo of Baxter cradling his young baby was captioned, "Goodnight my babies. Daddy loves you."
Baxter wrestles with his youngest son in a Facebook video. Photo / via Facebook
Photos show the fitness-focused family doing handstands at their gym, where Ms Baxter taught children's CrossFit classes.
"My wife does a brilliant job with the kiddies," Baxter wrote last September, sharing a post from the gym's Facebook page.
In May last year, Mr Baxter shared a Facebook image with statistics about male suicide: "84 men a week take their own life. 75 per cent of all suicides are male. 25 per cent of men live with a mental illness. Men are less likely to get help. Speak out, talking saves lives."
The family were fitness-focused. Photo / via Facebook
Police were called to Raven St in Camp Hill at 8.30am today after receiving reports of a car on fire.
"On arrival, police and emergency services have identified five people that were involved in the fire inside the vehicle," Detective Inspector Mark Thompson told reporters at the scene.
Baxter originally from Tauranga with his wife Hannah and children at home. Photo / via Facebook
"I can confirm that we have three deceased children under the age of 10 in the vehicle. We have another deceased adult male who was known to the children, and we also have a victim suffering extensive injuries that are also known to the children and the adult male."
One resident told The Australian another witness saw a woman jump from the burning car and yell, "He's poured petrol on me."
Mr Baxter, originally from Tauranga, New Zealand, was in the New Zealand Warriors squad in 2005 but never played an NRL match.
Where to get help: • Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7) • Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) • Youth services: (06) 3555 906 • Youthline: 0800 376 633 • Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7) • Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm) • Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7) • Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 • CASPER Suicide Prevention If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - DO YOU NEED HELP?
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
