The parents of Hannah Baxter have branded their son-in-law a "monster" and "scum," accusing the ex-rugby player of kidnapping and murdering his estranged wife and three children in a violent domestic abuse attack.
Hannah Baxter died at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital on Wednesday, 19 February, after escaping from a car that was reportedly set alight by her estranged husband, Rowan Baxter.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a woman free herself from the burning vehicle and yelling "he's poured petrol on me."
The couple's three children, Laianah, Aaliyah and Trey - aged six, four and three - died inside the burning vehicle in Raven Street, Brisbane at around 8:30am on Wednesday.
It is believed that Hannah and her children were on their regular school run at the time.
"We still don't know how he got so close. He's obviously ambushed her somehow, I'm sure she would not have stopped for him, she would be more likely to try to run over him.
"He had to hurt us because we'd beaten him. He was spiralling and had run out of people to sponge off. Looks like all of a sudden he decided there was only one way out," said Hannah's father, Lloyd Clarke.
After setting fire to the car being driven by Hannah, Baxter reportedly told members of the public who tried to help to "stop putting it out" before stabbing himself to death outside the car.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Robinson said: "Australians all over the country are just shocked, saddened and devastated about what has happened in a suburban street.
"Hannah and her three children [were] so senselessly and maddeningly murdered in what has occurred in a terrible act of violence."
Hannah's family said they had "exhausted themselves" trying to help her escape from her estranged husband, as reported in The Guardian.
Her parents, Lloyd and Suzanne Clarke, said on Thursday that their daughter had left Baxter in November after 11 years togther.
"She had to get the kids and just go without saying anything, because he was such a control freak and would get into her headspace and she would give in," said Mr Clarke.
Mrs Clarke added that in the last three months Baxter had 'kidnapped' one of the children for a four day period.
"He kidnapped (one of the kids) on Boxing Day and took her interstate for four days until the police got her back," Mrs Clarke told the Daily Mail.
"He stayed with a mate who was an absolute animal and sent Hannah a disgusting email blaming her for everything" she added.
Hannah's parents also said that, after a recent assault, Baxter wasn't supposed to be within 20 metres of his estranged wife and remain uncertain how he managed to get so close.
Baxter's Facebook page, full of posts of his children, was labelled "a facade" by Mr Clarke.
"We always had misgivings about him. He was always controlling, he ruined her relationship with everyone, even tried to get her away from us.
“He might have said he cared and loved his children but I know it was always about him coming first. The scum rots in hell,” he said.
