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Five days before six-year-old Aaliyah Clarke was set alight by her father alongside her mum Hannah and younger siblings, she had ‘the best day of her life’ at Sea World.
Hannah Clarke and her three children were slowly rebuilding their lives after the 31-year-old left her abusive husband, Rowan Baxter.
The former personal trainer had made the life-changing decision to qualify for the police academy, while little Aaliyah, her four-year-old sister, Laianah, and three-year- old brother, Trey, were thriving under her care with the help of her parents, Lloyd and Sue.
The girls spent hours in the kitchen learning to bake new recipes, while Trey became best mates with his pop and developed an infatuation with animals.
On the morning of February 19, Baxter stalked his estranged family as Hannah was preparing for the school run, doused them in petrol and set them alight at Camp Hill in Brisbane’s east.
As bystanders tried to rescue Hannah and her three babies, Baxter brandished a knife and told witnesses to ‘let her burn’ before fatally stabbing himself.
Five days before six-year-old Aaliyah Clarke was set alight by her father alongside her mum Hannah and younger siblings, she had ‘the best day of her life’ at Sea World (pictured left with her brother Trey and sister Laianah)
The ‘smart little cookie’, as Aaliyah’s grandparents Lloyd and Sue Clarke affectionately remember her, spent hours staring at the dolphins and playing with stingrays at Sea World on the Gold Coast
Hannah’s parents Lloyd and Sue are pictured with two of their grandchildren. The grieving couple are speaking out as a reminder that domestic violence can happen in any postcode and any class
Hannah bravely detailed the attack to police twice before succumbing to burns covering 97 per cent of her body.
Earlier that week, she expressed concerns to her parents that Baxter would try to kill her. The couple knew Baxter was dangerous, but didn’t immediately realise the peril Hannah was in.
On February 15, Lloyd and Sue surprised the children with a trip to Sea World on the Gold Coast.
Aaliyah, who has been remembered as a ‘smart little cookie’, spent hours staring at the dolphins and playing with stingrays before fondly declaring the outing the ‘best day of her life’.
The doting grandparents were so moved by her response that they bought family season passes.
They planned to visit the theme parks again as a family in March and then in April to celebrate both Aaliyah and her sister Laianah’s seventh and fifth birthdays.
Five days later, their whole world was turned upside down.
The kids had the best time at Sea World with their mum (pictured), grandparents, cousins and uncle, and were planning to go back for their birthdays before tragedy struck
Aaliyah (pictured with her mum) told her grandparents she had the ‘best day of her life’ at Sea World
Escaping an abusive relationship and making a huge career move
Months prior to her death, Hannah escaped her destructive relationship, taking Aaliyah, Laianah and three-year-old Trey and moving into her parents’ Camp Hill home, where she eventually decided on making a huge career change thanks to a dedicated police officer.
She’d spent 11 years in a relationship marred by coercive control and ‘intimate terrorism’ without ever truly realising she was a victim of domestic violence.
Lloyd and Sue have created the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation to raise awareness about coercive control and to encourage a more open dialogue about red flags in relationships.
In hindsight the warning signs were there, but without an understanding of different forms of domestic violence, Baxter’s controlling behaviour was dismissed as him being a ‘prude’ or a little uptight.
Early in their relationship, he encouraged Hannah to delete her Facebook and open a new, joint account.
The entire family (grandfather Lloyd is pictured with Aaliyah and Laianah) went on the outing just five days before Rowan Baxter set his estranged wife and three children on fire
Little Trey was obsessed with all animals, from sea creatures to dinosaurs, and loved the day out with the family
From there, he told her not to wear the colour pink because it was childish, stopped her from wearing shorts and instructed her to cover up after swimming in a bikini.
As their relationship progressed, so did Baxter’s controlling behaviour. He began checking her phone to see who she’d spoken to and where she’d been, tried to limit the time she spent with friends and family and wore down her self confidence.
As Hannah found the resolve to leave, he grew more desperate to exercise any form of control he could.
The ordeal inspired Hannah to take the first steps in becoming a police officer, with plans to help women in similar situations escape abusive relationships.
Sue and Lloyd explained it was Hannah’s experience with a female police officer who believed her and showed her kindness that inspired her to complete an online assessment to join the police academy – a test she passed with flying colours.
Hannah Clarke is pictured with her two daughters Aaliyah, six, and Laianah, four
Lloyd and Sue have created the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation to ensure other women know the less obvious warning signs of domestic violence
‘The female officer had been through a similar experience, we’re not quite sure of the details. But she was great. She gave Hannah her options and told her about AVOs.’
‘She would’ve made a really good policewoman,’ Lloyd said. ‘She had that real-life experience.’
In the weeks prior to her death, Hannah had come to accept that Baxter would try to murder her.
But she never in a million years thought he would harm their children.
‘She said, what happens when he kills me and they put him in jail for murder and then he gets deported?’ Sue told Daily Mail Australia.
‘She wanted the kids to be with us. We knew he was capable of hurting her, but we really didn’t believe he’d do anything to those babies.’
The ‘perfect’ day before tragedy struck
Mrs Clarke said she wants to be able to save at least one person from the horrors Hannah experienced
The children, particularly Aaliyah, were frightened of their father.
But they were thriving living with their grandparents.
The trip to Sea World was one of countless happy memories made within Hannah’s small, immediate family.
Hannah, Lloyd and Sue made the hour-long trip from their home in Brisbane on a stinking-hot Saturday and met up with Hannah’s brother Nat and his wife Stacey, along with their two boys.
Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey relished in spending time with their cousins.
‘Aaliyah told us it was the best day of her life afterwards,’ Lloyd said. ‘She was so happy.
‘They all were, all the cousins were together. They were all so excited to see the dolphins and stingrays,’ Sue added.
The girls were great ‘taste testers’ for all their desserts, including this chocolate cake
Trey had a particular love of animals, everything from sea creatures to dinosaurs, and was fascinated by everything he saw at the theme park.
But what could have been is still gut-wrenching.
‘They only got to see Sea World,’ Lloyd said. ‘The season passes got them into the four parks. We hadn’t got to them yet.’
Both Aaliyah and Laianah had birthdays coming up in March and April. They would have turned seven and five, and the Clarke family planned to take them to the theme parks for their special days.
They’ve been back several times since the February 15 trip with Nat and his boys, but often think back to the ‘special day’ they had when the whole family was together.
Aaliyah and Laianah were both keen little bakers who spent lots of time in the kitchen perfecting dessert recipes with their grandparents
The children were thriving in their new home
Photographs shared with Daily Mail Australia show how much fun the children were having in their new lives in Camp Hill.
The girls were regularly in the kitchen, particularly Laianah, who Sue remembered as a ‘good little chef’.
The cheekiest of the youngsters, she’d always find a way to make herself useful with the cooking and adored spending time with her grandparents, maybe even more so than Trey and Aaliyah, who were ‘mummy’s babies’ through and through.
Aaliyah would often back out of sleepovers at Lloyd and Sue’s house before moving in with them because she was hesitant about being away from her mum for long periods of time.
On the odd occasion she didn’t get to properly say goodbye before her mum left for work or to go out, she would be a wreck and would need to Facetime to check in.
The kids often baked in their spare time at home, including making these chocolate crackles
Lloyd and Sue Clarke hope their pain will help to ensure other families don’t endure
‘She was super bright. Just such a smart little cookie, so articulate,’ they said of Aaliyah.
‘She really could’ve gone on to do a lot, we know it.’
After bath time every night, she’d make a mad dash to the lounge room, where she knew she’d find Lloyd on his favourite chair. She’d lay beside him and ask for back tickles.
‘I’d have Aaliyah in one hand and I’d be scratching the dog on the other hand, and then Laianah would realise so she would run out and say ”me too”,’ he remembered.
‘Poor Trey just missed out because it was always bedtime after bath time. So he’d come and give us a kiss and a cuddle and then he was off to bed.
‘They were all such affectionate and cuddly kids.’
To donate or find out more about the foundation, visit Small Steps 4 Hannah.
Pictured: Hannah with her son, Trey, who was particularly affectionate and a ‘mummy’s boy’
Hannah Clarke’s parents Suzanne and Lloyd during the funeral for Hannah and her three children Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey in Brisbane on March 9
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