Murder of Hannah Clarke

Hannah Clarke was murdered alongside her three children by her ex-partner, Rowan Baxter, on 19 February 2020 in Camp Hill, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane. The murders sparked a national debate about domestic violence in Australia, after reports emerged that Baxter had a history of violence, misogyny and had been subjected to an apprehended violence order (AVO) as well as child custody orders as recently as February 2020. Background: Hannah Clarke met the New Zealand-born Rowan Baxter, 11 years her senior, in 2009 when she was 19. The former rugby league player proposed to Clarke in 2011 and they married in Kingscliff, New South Wales in 2012. They had three children: Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3. Reports emerged after the murders that Clarke had been emotionally, physically, sexually and financially abused by Baxter during their relationship. Baxter was subjected to a DVO after he allegedly kidnapped their eldest daughter on Boxing Day. He had rejected his lawyer's advice in mediation and refused to sign a consent order offered by Clarke, allowing him 165 days of custody a year. The DVO was varied in the Holland Park Magistrates Court in January 2020, returning Baxter's full access to his children. Baxter and Clarke then went to mediation, with Baxter refusing to sign the consent order which would lock in custody of the children. He subsequently signed a parenting agreement that gave him the same level of access but was not legally-binding. This access was revoked in early February when police charged him with breaching the DVO. At this time Clarke had started to legally use her maiden name rather than her married name. Attack: On 19 February 2020, Baxter torched the car Clarke was driving to drop their children at school, quickly incinerating the children in the back seat. Clarke was able to make it out of the car and allegedly told witnesses that Baxter had poured petrol on her. After burning the car, Baxter attempted to stop bystanders from putting out the fire before he stabbed himself to death. Clarke was rushed to the Royal Brisbane Hospital with burns to 97% of her body but died there that evening. Clarke and her children were buried on 9 March under her maiden name. Prime Minster Scott Morrison and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk attended their joint funeral.