Clarke family murders

Clarke family murders
LocationCamp Hill, Queensland, Australia
Date19 February 2020; 6 years ago (2020-02-19)
Attack type
Arson, murder–suicide
WeaponsPetrol, knife (used in suicide)
Deaths5 (including the perpetrator)
VictimsHannah Clarke (31)
Aaliyah Clarke (6)
Laianah Clarke (4)
Trey Clarke (3)
PerpetratorRowan Baxter (42)
MotiveDomestic violence

On 19 February 2020, Rowan Charles Baxter perpetrated a quadruple murder–suicide in Camp Hill, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Baxter fatally burned his 31-year-old estranged wife Hannah Ashlie Clarke and their three children, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey, before dying by suicide at the scene.

The murders sparked a national debate about domestic violence in Australia,[1][2][3] after reports emerged that Baxter had a history of violence and alleged misogyny[4][5][6] and had been subjected to a domestic violence order (DVO) as well as child custody orders as recently as the month of the murders.

Background

Hannah Clarke (1988–2020) met New Zealand-born Rowan Baxter (1977–2020),[7] eleven years her senior, in 2008 when she was aged 19.[8] Baxter was previously married to another woman, who had also been subject to his controlling behaviours and anger issues.[7]: 3  Baxter and Clarke married in Kingscliff, New South Wales, in 2012. They had three children: daughter Aaliyah Anne, 6; daughter Laianah Grace, 4; and son Trey Rowan Charles, 3.

Baxter was a former rugby league player who trialled with the New Zealand Warriors in 2005, before moving to Brisbane as a fitness coach.[9] During his time with the Warriors, it was indicated he had "anger problems" with incidents both when a rugby union player and later as a rugby league player.[10] Baxter and Clarke had been owners of a fitness gymnasium at nearby Capalaba,[11] where she taught children's CrossFit classes.[9] Clarke was a trampolining champion who had represented the state of Queensland and had international medals.[11] The business closed down in late 2019.[12][7]: 6  In November 2019, Baxter became angry that he failed to place in a CrossFit competition but Clarke did, and that she did not withdraw.[7]: 8 

Reports emerged after the murders alleging that Baxter had emotionally, physically, sexually and financially abused Clarke during their marriage.[13] This included him causing welts on her arm, hacking her telephone, placing recording devices around her house, and photographing her movements.[12] Baxter also sought to reduce Clarke's contact with her family in Brisbane.[7]: 6–7 

Baxter was subjected to a domestic violence order (DVO) after he allegedly kidnapped their daughter Laianah on Boxing Day 2019.[14] 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. The couple 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.[14] Although it is unclear when she began to do so, Clarke legally used her maiden name rather than her married name.[15]

Attack

On Wednesday morning, 19 February 2020, at her residence, Clarke put the children into her car, intending to drive them to school. When she started the car, Baxter suddenly jumped into her passenger seat holding a petrol container, and told her to drive.[7]: 30  At 8:30 am[11] in Raven Street, Camp Hill,[9] Baxter doused the interior of the car with petrol, and Clarke pulled over.[7]: 30  Baxter then set the petrol alight. Clarke was pulled burning out of the car by bystanders and told them that Baxter had poured petrol on her.[16] While the car was burning with the three children inside, Baxter stopped bystanders from putting out the fire before he stabbed himself to death.[17][18] Clarke was rushed to the Royal Brisbane Hospital with burns to 97% of her body, and died there that evening.[19]

Aftermath

Clarke and her children were buried on 9 March 2020, with Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in attendance.[20]

A coronial inquest was held in March 2022,[21][22] and the findings were delivered on 29 June 2022.[7] It was found that signs were ignored or missed to recognise extreme risks to aggrieved persons, with recommendations including to improve police responses to domestic violence including better training for officers, and funding of respondent behaviour change programmes.[23] An earlier 2022 Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce report contained 89 recommendations, and precipitated the inquiry into police culture and responses to domestic violence; the coronial inquiry noted these events but made recommendations for more immediate attention.[7]: 162 [24][25] A twelve-month trial of a "multi-disciplinary specialist domestic violence police station" was agreed in principle by the Queensland Police Service and the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.[26]

After the murders it was proposed for coercive control to be a standalone criminal offence.[27][28] The legislative change was made on 26 May 2025.[29][30]

Hannah's Place area of Bill Hewitt Reserve, Camp Hill, south Brisbane (2025)

Legacy

On 23 February 2020, over 1,000 people gathered to celebrate and mourn the family in a public vigil held at the Bill Hewitt Reserve in Camp Hill.[31][32] A small section of the same reserve was later memorialised as 'Hannah's Place' with a sign, shelter and newly planted trees. On 8 September 2020, 'Hannah's Place' was opened by Coorparoo councillor Fiona Cunningham along with Clarke's family, on what would have been Hannah's 32nd birthday.[33]

In March 2020, Clarke's family established the foundation 'Small Steps 4 Hannah' in honour of the slain children.[34] The charity stated its establishment was to "put a HALT to the incidences and severity of domestic and family violence in Australia".[35]

Clarke was named one of Marie Claire magazine's 'Women of the Year' in their December 2020 issue, for the nationwide awareness brought to the issue of coercive control in Australia.[36]

See also

References

  1. ^ "I survived my abuser. But Hannah Clarke's murder is a reminder that many women aren't so lucky". ABC Australia. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Murder of Hannah Clarke and kids prompts 'incredible surge' in men seeking to stop domestic violence". SBS. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  3. ^ Buiten, Denise (25 February 2020). "Why do men kill their families? Here's what the research says". The Conversation. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  4. ^ "'We are a nation in pain': Tears and anger at Brisbane vigil for Hannah Clarke and her three children". SBS. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  5. ^ Brown, Lee (23 February 2020). "Killer dad Rowan Baxter who torched wife, 3 kids, was misogynist cheater". New York Post. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Killer Rowan Baxter 'hated women', cousin says". Yahoo Australia. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Bentley, Jane (29 June 2022). "Findings of inquest. Inquest into the death of Hannah Ashlie Clarke, Aaliyah Anne Baxter, Laianah Grace Baxter, Trey Rowan Charles Baxter, and Rowan Charles Baxter" (PDF). Coroners Court of Queensland. Queensland Courts. p. 168. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  8. ^ McPhee, Sarah (25 February 2020). "'Perpetrator of violence': Man who pledged to love wife killed her and three kids after they fled". news.com.au.
  9. ^ a b c "Wife dies hours after her children were killed in car inferno lit by league player father". Fox. 19 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Car-fire murders: Disturbing reason why Rowan Baxter quit rugby". New Zealand Herald. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "Rowan Baxter: Ex-rugby player, wife and children die after 'horrific' car fire". British Broadcasting Corporation. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  12. ^ a b McKenna, Kate; Roberts, George (21 February 2020). "Brisbane car fire killer stalked wife Hannah Clarke and used 'scary' controlling tactics before final evil act". ABC News. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  13. ^ Wuth, Robyn (21 February 2020). "Friend of Hannah Clarke said she was emotionally, financially and sexually abused by estranged husband Rowan Baxter for more than 10 years". Perth Now. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  14. ^ a b Robertson, Josh (22 February 2020). "Rowan Baxter 'couldn't move past the relationship' with Hannah Clarke despite shared custody arrangement, a source reveals". ABC Australia. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  15. ^ Crockford, Toby; Lynch, Lydia; McElroy, Nicholas; Wuth, Robyn (20 February 2020). "Hannah was 'excited' for 2020 with her kids. They only got 50 days". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 4 May 2021. Clarification: This story previously named the children's mother as Hannah Baxter. The Queensland Police Service has since informed media she had legally been using her maiden name 'Clarke' and no longer used her married name of Baxter.
  16. ^ "Hannah Baxter dies in hospital after three children killed in suspected murder-suicide in Brisbane's Camp Hill, father Rowan Baxter dies at scene". ABC Australia. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  17. ^ Foster, Ally (21 February 2020). "Witnesses describe 'awful' scene as father kills family before taking his own life in Brisbane car fire". News.com.au. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  18. ^ McGowan, Michael (20 February 2020). "Brisbane car fire: Hannah Baxter dies of injuries, three children killed in suspected family violence case". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  19. ^ "Mourners hear of Hannah Clarke's lost dreams at Camp Hill vigil". The Australian. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  20. ^ Riga, Rachel (9 March 2020). "Hannah Clarke and her children remembered as hundreds attend funeral service in Brisbane". ABC News. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  21. ^ Callinan, Rory (26 March 2022). "Hannah Clarke inquest hears of killer's appalling behaviour over years". ABC News. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  22. ^ Australian Associated Press (30 March 2022). "Social worker did not tell police Hannah Clarke was strangled by husband, inquest hears". The Guardian (Australia). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  23. ^ Turnbull, Tiffanie (30 June 2022). "Hannah Clarke inquest: Calls for landmark police trial in Australia". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  24. ^ Hamilton-Smith, Lexie (22 February 2024). "Steve Gollschewski appointed acting Queensland police commissioner as advocates warn sexism in police service needs to change". ABC News. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  25. ^ Smee, Ben; Gillespie, Eden (17 September 2022). "Cracks emerge in 'blue wall' as Queensland's first female police commissioner faces torrid test". The Guardian (Australia). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  26. ^ "Inquest into the deaths of Hannah Ashlie Clarke, Aaliyah Anne Baxter, Laianah Grace Baxter, Trey Rowan Charles Baxter and Rowan Charles Baxter" (PDF). Department of Justice and Attorney-General Inquest into the deaths of Hannah Ashlie Clarke, Aaliyah Anne Baxter, Laianah Grace Baxter, Trey Rowan Charles Baxter and Rowan Charles Baxter. State of Queensland (Department of Justice and Attorney-General). p. 5. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  27. ^ Gearing, Amanda (29 February 2020). "Coercive control and domestic abuse: what might have saved Hannah Clarke and her children?". The Guardian (Australia). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  28. ^ Brown, Shelly; Burton, Kelley (2024). "Criminalising Coercive Control after the Hannah Clarke Homicide: A Comparative Analysis". Criminal Law Journal. 47 (3): 268–292. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  29. ^ Murray, Will (19 February 2025). "Hannah Clarke's parents urge politicians to make coercive control illegal nationwide". ABC News. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  30. ^ "Coercive control laws". Queensland Government. The State of Queensland. 1 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  31. ^ Hartley, Anna; Hamilton-Smith, Lexy (23 February 2020). "Hannah Clarke's family thank crowd at public vigil who 'restored our faith that there are good people in this world'". ABC News. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  32. ^ Siganto, Talissa (11 August 2020). "Brisbane City Council creates park memorial for Hannah Clarke and her children". ABC News. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  33. ^ Stone, Lucy (12 August 2020). "Park section now a permanent memorial to Hannah Clarke and her children". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Small Steps 4 Hannah". LMCT Brisbane. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  35. ^ "Small Steps 4 Hannah". www.smallsteps4hannah.com.au. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  36. ^ "Domestic Violence Victim Hannah Clarke Honoured in Marie Claire's Women of the Year for Her Bravery". Marie Claire. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Hannah_Clarke