Hannah Clarke had been doused in petrol and set alight when she used her final moments alive to tell police in detail about her abusive estranged husband.
The 31-year-old had just watched Rowan Charles Baxter kill their three children after he ambushed the family on their morning school run in Brisbane on February 19.
Baxter doused their car in petrol and set them on fire. Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three, perished at the scene.
Hannah, who jumped from the driver’s seat of her car screaming ‘he’s poured petrol on me’, later died in hospital with burns to 97 per cent of her body.
Hannah Clarke had been doused in petrol and set alight when she used her final moments alive to tell police in detail about her abusive estranged husband. Hannah is pictured with her grandmother and children Trey, three, Laianah, four, and Aaliyah, six
Hannah had just watched Rowan Charles Baxter (left) kill their three children after he ambushed the family on their morning school run in Brisbane in February
Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the mum-of-three showed ‘amazing courage and heroism’ right up to her last breath by giving police a detailed account of the horrific events she had endured.
‘It encapsulates who Hannah is. She was strong. She was determined and she was courageous. And I think that is her to the core,’ Ms Carroll told The Courier-Mail.
‘She was determined, I mean, obviously in incredible pain, right through to when she passed, just to get the details out correctly.’
Ms Carroll said the ‘powerful evidence’ put police in good stead for their investigations into the horrific homicide that rocked Australia.
Baxter doused their car in petrol and set them on fire. Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3, perished at the scene
Hannah’s statement was filmed via a police officer’s body cam and the footage will be observed by investigators. Ms Carroll said she has not watched the vision.
‘It’s probably just the most harrowing thing you could ever watch,’ she said.
Hannah’s father Lloyd said Hannah gave a detailed statement to emergency crews three times before she died.
Despite suffering burns to most of her body, the 31-year-old walked herself to a stretcher, while recounting the shocking events that had transpired.
She passed out on her way to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital but awoke in ICU, where she told the story of Baxter’s attack again.
Lloyd said his daughter wanted the ‘monster’ to be caught for the murders and likely didn’t know he had died.
Pictured: Flowers and a ‘stop domestic violence’ sign are laid at the scene in Brisbane
Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll (pictured) said the mum-of-three showed ‘amazing courage and heroism’ right up to her last breath by giving police a detailed account of the horrific events she had endured
Lloyd and his wife Suzanne want their daughter to be remembered as a hero who tried to protect her children, rather than as a victim.
The attack that killed Hannah and her family has sparked calls for greater efforts to bring an end to domestic violence.
Ms Carroll said the attack was particularly hard on the emergency crews who responded, adding the scene was one of the worst things a police officer could witness in their career.
Hannah and the kids were killed on February 19 when Baxter hid in the front garden of her parent’s place in Camp Hill, where she and the kids were living, and ambushed them as she drove the children to school and daycare.
The children died in the car while Hannah managed to free herself but died later in hospital. Baxter died at the scene from self-inflicted knife wounds.
Hannah Clarke is pictured with her two daughters Aaliyah, six, and Laianah, four
Pictured: A tow truck removes the car Baxter burnt in Brisbane on February 19, 2020
Hannah and her three children were put to rest in a single coffin at their funeral service in March.
Hannah’s brother Nathaniel delivered a eulogy remembering his sister as ‘one of the greatest mums to walk this earth’.
‘I’ve loved you since the day I was born,’ Nathaniel said.
‘We weren’t brother and sister, we were friends.’
He remembered the family’s last outing together to Sea World, three days before Hannah and the kids were killed.
‘The day was a pure joy,’ he said.
‘They were the best memories, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
‘I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you Hannah, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey.’
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14