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Theo Hayez mystery comes to devastating end

The worst fears of Theo Hayez's family have been confirmed as an inquest has declared the 18-year-old Belgian backpacker officially dead. Theo disappeared on a night out in Byron Bay in 2019, although the inquest did not determine whether his death was the result of an innocent accident or foul play. The disappearance of the teenager, who was described on Friday by State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan as “a clever, gentle and thoughtful young man” with a “bright future”, prompted a mass volunteer effort from Byron Bay locals as the desperate search for him made headlines around the world. Despite the mammoth efforts of police and volunteers, nothing was found but Theo's cap. Hayez’ Australia-based godfather Jean-Philippe Pector was moved to tears as he spoke outside court about the “love” the family had received from the Byron Bay community, which “makes it all bearable”. After going through the inquest process, he said, “we knew there wouldn’t be any breakthrough.” O'Sullivan's inquest did note, however, that Hayez's phone indicated he had spent seven minutes at a local area known as the cricket nets, and that he had "veered sharply" off a path near a bush camp. As a result, she could exclude the theories that Hayez had taken his own life or staged his disappearance, but could not either substantiate or exclude the other two “main competing theories” - that he either died alone trying to climb the Cape Byron headland, or was killed by another person, or persons, who disposed of his body. Appearing on 60 Minutes last weekend, Theo's devastated mother, Vinciane, opened up on the toll his disappearance has had on her and their family, saying, "I think that we will never know but I hope our situation, our story, is helpful to others." "If you want to go on living, there is a time when you need to stop. There will always be sadness until the very end of our life but it is healthy to stop searching." Image credits: 60 Minutes

Family & Pets

Baby found to have suffocated to death inside mum’s sling

A three-week-old baby boy most likely suffocated to death while inside a sling worn by his mother, a NSW coroner has found. Harvey McGlinn was found pale and motionless when his mother, Tattika Dunn, unwrapped him from the sling at a Central Coast community health centre in 2019. When Ms Dunn took her son in for his appointment, 25 minutes after arriving at the centre, the nurse with her began performing CPR. After a doctor from the medical centre next door, paramedics, and a doctor from CareFlight continued attempts to revive Harvey for another 30 minutes, he was pronounced dead. In findings delivered on Thursday, the coroner said evidence established that Harvey’s airway was compromised due to the position of his neck, with his head on his chin, in the sling. Harvey was Ms Dunn’s third son with fiancé Bill McGlinn. “It’s still very raw and my heart feels like it’s been ripped in a million pieces,” she wrote in a Facebook post a month after her son’s death. She declined to be involved in the inquest, and there is no suggestion that duty of care was breached. Staff at the health centre and the manufacturer of the sling were cleared of liability over Harvey’s death. “Harvey’s relatively low weight may have resulted in less muscle and head control resulting in a difficulty in maintaining a patent airway from the way that Harvey was positioned in the sling,” the coroner said. Witnesses told the coroner that the baby boy’s entire body was inside the loosely fitted sling. According to the coroner’s report, RN (Registered Nurse) Kovacs saw Ms Dunn arrive “wearing a blue, sling-like carrier around her” with a “bulge-like presence” at the bottom of the sling, which Kovacs descried as below the level of Ms Dunn’s belly button and horizontal. The nurse said that if she “recognised or believed there was a baby inside the sling” at the time, “she would have considered there was an element of risk” with how the baby was being carried. RN Percy, a second nurse at the centre, saw Ms Dunn arrive at reception at 9.01am but stated that she “did not recognise that Tattika was wearing a baby carrier and instead thought that she was carrying a bag of some kind around her neck”. Since the incident, the coroner said NSW Health has made changes to the advice about the risks of baby slings. Deborah Martha, the NSW Health director of maternity, child and family, told the inquest that banning slings may be the only way to eliminate the risk, but noted that their customary place in some cultures and their use by some disabled people meant that a ban would be difficult. A new acronym, TICKS, has been created to help prevent the same tragedy from occurring. The acronym stands for Tight, In view, Close, Keep chin off chest and Supported, and advises parents on how to best use slings. The baby should be held tight and high, in view of the parent at all times, be close enough to kiss, and in a position so that their chin is off their chest and that they back is well-supported and in a natural position. Image: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-baby-harvey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a>

Caring

"They weren't real tears": Damning testimony at Melissa Caddick inquest

One of the first police officers to interview Melissa Caddick’s husband has said he was acting extremely strangely and, when seen crying, wasn’t shedding “real tears”. Sergeant Trent Riley told the inquest into Caddick’s death of Anthony Koletti’s behaviour after he reported her missing 28 hours after he says she left their <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/property/real-estate/melissa-caddick-s-husband-ordered-to-vacate-15-million-mansion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dover Heights home</a>. Louise Coleman, the junior counsel assisting, asked whether Sergeant Riley believed Koletti’s behaviour “was extremely strange and unusual”, to which he said, “Yes”. “I thought it was strange a husband would ring the police station, report his wife missing two days later and wasn't prepared to come to the police station,” Sergeant Riley said. “Or didn't really want police to go around and see him (because) he had too much work on that day.” Since the inquest began on Monday, it has been heard that Koletti impersonated Caddick the day after she went missing and falsely told friends he was with her at home. Koletti cancelled an appointment with their cleaner via text using his wife’s phone and lied to Caddick’s brother Adam Grimley and friend Scott Little in text messages, telling them he was home with her when he hadn’t actually seen her that day. Coleman asked Sergeant Riley about the text message sent to the cleaner, which he described as strange. “I did think it was strange,” he said. “(He) contacted her closest friends but hadn’t let them know she was missing?” Coleman asked. “He did. Very strange,” Sergeant Riley said. The part-time hairdresser and DJ reported that his wife was missing on November 30, just over a day after he said she left the house to go for a walk or a run. The inquest heard on Wednesday that Sergeant Riley’s suspicions prompted him to visit Koletti at the couple’s home in the eastern suburbs, with his body-cam footage played before the court. “You can’t be too careful these days,” Koletti can be heard saying while unlocking one of the doors. In the cellar, Koletti points out that Caddick “hasn’t even taken any grog”. On the upstairs deck, where the Harbour Bridge could be seen in the background, Sergeant Riley mentioned that it was a good spot for New Year’s Eve. “I was looking forward to New Year's Eve, but I don't know now. It doesn't mean anything when you don't have the love of your life,” Koletti responds. “Did you go anywhere last night?” Sergeant Riley asks again. “Not that I know of,” Mr Koletti says. Sergeant Riley repeatedly says he doesn’t believe Koletti is telling him the complete truth. “Like I said before I think there's something you're not telling me,” Sergeant Riley says. “I told you if something comes up I will tell you ... I've been on this for a long time now,” Koletti responds. Solicitor Judy Swan, who is representing Koletti, pointed out to the sergeant that her client began to cry at the end of the search and interview. “They weren't real tears in my opinion ... I'm very confident they weren't real tears,” Sergeant Riley said. He noted that Koletti gave him two different versions of the last time he saw Caddick, first telling police that he wasn’t worried about his wife and hadn’t left home at all and later saying he had spent the day searching above the ocean near The Gap. “(He says) he didn't think she was missing but he was checking the cliffs around Rodney Reserve all day,” Coleman said. “Extremely strange,” Sergeant Riley responded. The officer, who was unaware that the couple’s home had been raided by the Australian Federal Police and Australian Securities and Investments Commission on November 11, added that he was bewildered by Koletti’s ability to describe the clothes his wife was wearing when she left the house, despite not seeing her leave. The inquest before Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan continues. Image: Getty Images

Legal

"Final act of cowardice" by Hannah Clarke’s ex-husband

Content warning: This article contains distressing content and descriptions of domestic violence. A coroner has recommended widespread changes to domestic violence training and support in Australia while delivering her findings on the deaths of Hannah Clarke and her children at the hands of her ex-husband. Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley became emotional while delivering her findings, detailing the final moments of the young family during Rowan Baxter’s “final act of cowardice”. Clarke and her children, six-year-old Aaliyah, four-year-old Laianah, and three-year-old Trey, died after Baxter, her ex-husband, ambushed the family on their way to school in February, 2020. After dousing their car in petrol, neighbours watched on in horror as he set the vehicle alight. In Bentley’s findings, published on Wednesday, it was revealed that Clarke died from multi-organ failure as a result of the fire. Bentley said the three children died at 8.25am on February 19 from the effects of the fire, while Baxter died from a self-inflicted stab wound. "The children died almost immediately from the inhalation of fumes and burns," Bentley said. "Hannah had received full-thickness, non-survivable burns." Despite suffering severe injuries, Bentley said Clarke showed “astounding bravery” and was able to describe what Baxter had done to nearby witnesses. Her findings come three months after the long-awaited coronial inquest into the deaths began. During the inquest, the court was told of how Baxter displayed controlling and abusive behaviour towards Clarke, including controlled what she wore and who she could see, demanding sex every night, and berating her body image. The court was told that Baxter abducted Laianah on Boxing Day 2019, taking her to northern NSW before returning her several days later. In another incident, Baxter assaulted Clarke after she confronted him about why he had explicit photos of her in his car - which was evidence he hoped to use in court. Bentley said she found it unlikely that police, service providers or family could have stopped Baxter from carrying out his “murderous” plans, describing him as a “master of manipulation”. "After Hannah left him and he realised he could no longer control her, he began to rally support from friends he had not seen for years and professionals he considered could advance his cause,” Bentley said. She described him killing himself as a “final act of cowardice” since he was unable to live with the public denunciation and punishment he would be subject to. "The truth is Hannah, who knew him best, was initially in favour of him having contact with the children … but she perceived he was becoming more dangerous," Bentley said. "Her fears were genuine and realistic and ultimately confirmed in the worst way." The coroner said there were missed opportunities to keep Baxter accountable, including their response to his breaching of the domestic violence order. The court heard that training of police officers, particularly frontline officers, around domestic violence was insufficient, and that there was a “significant lack of counselling programmes and support” for perpetrators in Queensland. "However, in this case, I am satisfied that even had it been available, Baxter was not interested in engaging in such programmes unless it furthered his cause … [of] Hannah agreeing to his wishes," she said. Bentley made four recommendations, including that the Queensland government fund the police to provide "five-day face-to-face domestic violence training programme for all specialist domestic violence police officers", and mandatory face-to-face training for all police officers. "My final recommendation is that the Queensland government provide funding for men's behaviour change programmes both in prisons and in the community as a matter of urgency," Bentley said. "I offer my most sincere condolences to Mr and Mrs Clarke, other family members and friends and family of their children." Outside court, Hannah’s parents Sue and Lloyd Clarke said they were pleased with the findings. "We expected most of the results," Clarke told reporters. "We need to see everything that's been recommended implemented in every state." If you are in need of support or are a victim of domestic violence, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the national family violence counselling service on 1800 737 732. Image: Nine News

Family & Pets

New hope after new leads in Théo Hayez case

Months after a $500,000 reward was announced, the private investigator searching for answers in the case of missing backpacker Théo Hayez says it has brought on new leads - but Théo’s family still have one question they’d like answered. “A key question we are seeking to address is whether he was with someone on the night of May 31, 2019 - which we strongly believe to be the case considering the circumstances,” Théo’s family said in a statement. The Belgian backpacker was last seen at about 11pm on May 31, when he was ejected from the Cheeky Monkeys bar in Byron Bay. Police were alerted six days later, after Théo didn’t return to his hostel, but he couldn’t be found or contacted. In February, nearly three years after the 18-year-old vanished, <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/big-development-in-missing-theo-hayez-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NSW Police posted a $500,00 reward</a> for significant information relating to Théo’s disappearance, which the family hope “will yield the answers we so desperately need”. On Monday, private investigator Ken Gamble said the recent reward had “brought forward new leads” and that he was continuing to investigate “credible leads” on behalf of the family, as reported by <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/missing-person/new-credible-leads-emerge-after-police-post-500000-reward-in-theo-hayez-case-c-6987407" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. “I am very thankful to everyone who has provided information. Some investigations are still ongoing,” Mr Gamble said in a statement. “The recent $500,000 reward offered by the NSW government has brought forward new leads that are also being thoroughly investigated. I am still very hopeful that the case will be solved.” Théo’s family thanked Mr Gamble for his efforts, as he continues “to work with us and investigates all new leads”, and that they welcomed the news that the Missing Persons Registry would “carry out further investigations into Théo’s disappearance”. “Since the reward was announced, we have continued to see people come forward offering information to support the search,” they said. As for someone being with Théo on the night he vanished, the family say it’s the only way his behaviour - which has been pieced together using location data - would make sense. “Walking into the bushland and climbing the grassy side of the Cape Byron cliff alone at night is something we believe Théo would never have done unless he was with someone at the time,” they said. The location data gleaned from Théo’s mobile phone connections and Google’s location services was part of the evidence presented to <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-trouble/potential-breakthrough-in-theo-hayez-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an inquest into his disappearance</a>. After being ejected from the bar, Théo was tracked to a local sporting field, before he charted a route to the beach below the headland. The data from his phone then shows Théo climbing the steep ascent towards the lighthouse before it stops transmitting. <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/theo-hayez-s-last-moments-before-disappearing-uncovered" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Police have theorised</a> that Théo climbed up the cliffs, dropped his phone, fell and was swept out to sea, but his family says this goes against his sensible, risk-averse nature. The inquest, which will resume sitting on June 7, will see the counsel assisting the coroner make their final submissions, with lawyers representing the Hayez family and NSW Police also making submissions. State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan will then hand down her findings on October 21. In their statement, the family said they will continue to search for answers. “Every day Théo is missing is as difficult as the last as we navigate our endless and ambiguous grief and continue to seek answers to what happened to our boy,” the family said. “As with all families of missing people, we are unable to properly grieve and heal, as we don’t have a conclusion.” Anyone with any information about Théo’s disappearance is urged to contact the <a href="https://www.looking4theo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Looking4Theo</a> website or Crimestoppers directly. Image: Looking4Theo

Legal

BBC star confirmed dead at just 21

Reiss Jarvis, the BBC actor known for his role in the 2017 drama Murdered for Being Different, was killed in a car crash with another driver who “lost control” while speeding on an unlit road. The 21-year-old was in the front seat of his friend’s Mazda 3 and suffered multiple “unsurvivable” injuries in the crash on November 10 last year. An inquest into his death, held on Wednesday at Rochdale Coroner’s Court, heard that Mr Jarvis’ friend, Karl Young lost control of his car while driving at “excessive speed” at around 8.40pm that night, according to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10802685/Actor-starred-BBC-drama-killed-driver-lost-control-car-passenger-in.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Mail</a>. The vehicle then veered off the remote road, hitting a tree and plunging down an embankment. Mr Jarvis was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Young was pulled from the vehicle and taken to hospital, where he later passed away. The pair were returning home to Oldham, in Greater Manchester, after going to a West Yorkshire fish shop. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Our thoughts go to the family of Reiss Jarvis (21) & the driver of the vehicle, both were killed last night in a RTA in Delph, Reiss played Michael Gorman in The ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/sophie_charity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sophie_charity</a>⁩ Lancaster Murdered for being Different, TV Drama, which was based from our facilities .RIP💔 <a href="https://t.co/xcjQo0kRKj">pic.twitter.com/xcjQo0kRKj</a> — Bacup Borough FC (@BacupBoro) <a href="https://twitter.com/BacupBoro/status/1458912399961042952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote> Police Sergeant Neil Pennington, representing Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Crash Investigation Unit, told the inquest that it was discovered through analysis of the car’s airbag module that it had been travelling at 110 miles per hour (about 117 kilometres per hour). However, the speed limit for the road is 50 miles an hour (approximately 80 kph), and the car was travelling at 58 miles per hour (about 93 kph) when it hit the tree. “At the speed they were driving at, if anything did happen or a loss of control were to occur, it would be very hard for them to regain control of that vehicle,” Sergeant Pennington said. According to pathologist Dr Abdul Ganjifrockwala’s post-mortem examination, Mr Jarvis’ cause of death was confirmed to be from “multiple fatal injuries as a result of a road traffic collision”. Sergeant Pennington told the inquest there was no evidence to suggest another vehicle was involved in the crash. In a statement, Mr Jarvis’ father, Darryl, described his son as “the life and soul of the party” and said his death has taken a “terrible toll” on his health. Assistant coroner Michael Salt concluded that Mr Jarvis died as a result of a road traffic collision. “This case highlights again the dangers of excessive speed on the roads,” he added. “On this occasion a very talented and loyal young man has lost his life and the only explanation we have is one of loss of control of the vehicle through excessive speed.” Image: Twitter

News

Not so innocent: Detail in cute puppy pic reveals Melissa Caddick’s huge profits

A previously unnoticed detail in an innocent photograph has revealed the eye-watering amount accused fraudster Melissa Caddick was making from her alleged crimes per day. Caddick sent the photo of her pet dog posing in her home office to one of her victims, according to the podcast Liar Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions. After zooming in on the notepad on Caddick’s desk, it can be seen that “$46K per day” was written under the heading “Average Profits” between April 27 and May 27. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/smh-cadddick.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Zooming in on the photograph reveals the record sums Melissa Caddick was making. Image: The Sydney Morning Herald Kate McClymont, the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age journalist who hosts the podcast, <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/melissa-caddick-podcast-how-a-cute-dog-photo-provided-a-clue-to-her-staggering-profits/4474e72b-e7f2-4472-902a-fa3ee10029bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Today</a> that these kinds of discoveries showed how clues could be “hiding in plain sight”. “The person that provided me with that photo is one of, not only Melissa’s victims, but she worked one day a week for Melissa,” McClymont said. “So she is sitting there day after day seeing all of these things, but it wasn’t until after Melissa disappeared and the Herald broke the story saying she was running a Ponzi scheme, they didn’t realise they were all victims.” In May 2020 alone, Caddick made a whopping $1.426 million profit - and her case has since captured the nation’s attention. Her home in Sydney’s east was raided by federal police on behalf of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in November 2020, and it was suspected she had fleeced millions of dollars from her victims - mostly friends and family - to fund her lifestyle. Caddick then disappeared a day after the raid. Months later, the remains of her foot inside a running shoe washed up on a beach on the NSW South Coast. An inquest into her death will commence in September, and McClymont told Today it could dispel some mysteries surrounding how she died. “Already I have heard that some of her victims have been interviewed by the police to provide alibis,” she said. The journalist added that a forensic pathologist would hopefully be able to determine if Caddick’s foot was cut off or had deteriorated in the ocean. “Until we hear from a forensic pathologist, that is still one of the big mysteries in this case.” To read the full story and hear the Liar Liar episode, click <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-a-puppy-picture-revealed-melissa-caddick-s-stunning-46-000-per-day-profit-20220429-p5ahbm.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: Nine

Legal

Video shows Rowan Baxter purchasing killing tools

A video showing Rowan Baxter purchasing the tools he would use to kill Hannah Clarke and their three children has played in court. CCTV showed Baxter at a local Brisbane Bunnings store buying zip ties, cleaning fluid and fuel at about 6 pm on February 17, 2020, just two days before the horrific murder. Wearing a black singlet and shorts, Baxter also appeared to wander around before paying for the items. Later that afternoon, Baxter called a men’s support helpline where he said he was the victim. "My wife, to be honest, it's almost like a game to put her in a better position for family court," he was heard saying, <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/inquest-into-hannah-clarkes-death-tracks-killers-movements-in-days-before-murder-brisbane-queensland/d882dce1-d321-4cd6-9791-0f37d4892e91" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nine News</a> reported. "I'm not the one who has the problem. I'm just doing what I'm told. "I never even thought my wife was capable of doing anything like this." On 19 February, 2020, before Baxter set alight to the family car with Ms Clarke and their three children - Aaliyah, Laianah, and Trey - he was seen at a Caltex petrol station purchasing 4.6L of fuel and three Kinder Surprises. Ms Clarke was taking her three children to school when Baxter doused them with fuel. The three children died at the scene while Ms Clarke was taken to hospital. Baxter later stabbed himself with a knife and died. Ms Clarke suffered burns to 97 per cent of her body and, despite her injuries, was able to give police three statements about what happened. The inquest continues. Image: CCTV footage

Legal

Chilling footage emerges in Hannah Clarke case

Content warning: This article mentions domestic violence. Bodycam footage of a distraught Hannah Clarke speaking to police after her “psycho” husband abducted one of their children has been shown during the coronial inquest into her and her children’s deaths. The inquest is examining the 2020 deaths of Ms Clarke and her three children - Aaliyah, Laianah, and Trey - and her estranged husband Rowan Baxter, who set the family alight in a car on a suburban street, as reported by <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/qld/the-devastating-moment-hannah-clarke-was-told-by-police-theres-not-a-great-deal-we-can-do-c-6243136" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. In the footage, Ms Clarke spoke to officers when her husband drove off with one of their three children after the family met at a Brisbane park on Boxing Day in 2019. Ms Clarke said she and Mr Baxter had been separated for a few weeks but that she feared getting a domestic violence order against him, fearing it would worsen the situation. She said she refused to let Mr Baxter have the kids overnight out of fear he wouldn’t return them to her, and that Mr Baxter then put four-year-old Laianah in a car and drove off. “Now he’s telling me he won’t give her back … because I’ve said to him you need to wait till we can get this sorted, you’re not having them stay with you because you won’t return them,” Ms Clarke told police. “The other two are absolutely beside themselves.She’s (Laianah’s) balling her eyes out. “(He’s) just a psycho, (saying) that he’s taking her and that’s it. “He’s just called me now and said you either bring the other two back or I keep her. “They were in my care. “I was doing good by letting them see him.” She also explained why didn’t take out a legal order against him, despite having spoken to police about him previously. “The only reason I didn’t was because I was scared it would antagonise the situation more,” she said. Tragically, one of the officers told her there was nothing they could do. “Without any orders in place, there’s not a great deal we can do in relation to the custody of the children,” the officer said in the video. “Being the biological father, he does have a right to the child. We can’t just go and take the child.” Ms Clarke then asked, “Even though he’s taken her away from me when they were in my care?” “Yeah, unfortunately, because he is the biological father of the child, we can’t just go and seize the child and give her back to you,” the officer explained. Ms Clarke said the situation was “messed up” and detailed some of Mr Baxter’s treatment of her. “There’s been a lot of domestic violence. Not physical, but emotional. Controlling me et cetera. So it just got too much, I just couldn’t do it anymore,” she said. “So I took the kids and we left.” Mr Baxter took Laianah for two days before she was returned to Ms Clarke due to police intervention. A police protection notice was placed against Mr Baxter three days later, starting the process for Ms Clarke to get a permanent domestic violence order against him. He then breached a temporary order on January 31 when he grabbed Ms Clarke’s wrist during an altercation at her parents’ home while dropping off their son. On Tuesday, the inquest also heard from members of the Queensland Police and the Queensland Police Union, who appeared before Queensland Coroners Court. The footage is available to view <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/qld/the-devastating-moment-hannah-clarke-was-told-by-police-theres-not-a-great-deal-we-can-do-c-6243136" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: 7News

Family & Pets

New details emerge in tragic deaths of Hannah Clarke and her children

Content warning: This article contains distressing details relating to an act of domestic violence which may disturb some readers. New details surrounding the murder of Hannah Clarke and her children have emerged during an pre-inquest hearing investigating whether their deaths could have been prevented. Hannah Clarke and her three children - Aaliyah, six; Laianah, four; and Trey, three - were doused in petrol and burned alive by estranged husband Rowan Baxter in Brisbane in early 2020. “The purpose of this inquest is not to identify the deceased, the cause nor the place of their deaths, or even the perpetrator who took their lives,” Jacoba Brasch QC, the counsel assisting the coroner, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/dec/07/hannah-clarke-inquest-in-brisbane-to-examine-the-warning-signs-which-were-missed" target="_blank">told the court</a> on Tuesday. “The evidence on these matters is abundant and, tragically, painfully clear. This inquest must look backwards, at the warning signs which were missed or, it identified, whether appropriate actions were taken at the time to address those risks.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846188/hannah-clarke1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/eb5109f56fcc4adb95cd52039956ea49" /> Hannah Clarke with her children Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey. Image: @smallsteps4hannah (Instagram) The court heard that just before 8.30 am on February 19, Clarke left her parents’ home with her children and was intercepted by Baxter, when he climbed into the passenger’s seat armed with a knife and a can of petrol. “Hannah screamed at Baxter to get out of the car. Her screams were desperate and fearful - we know this because a worried neighbour recorded them,” Brasch said. Baxter then ordered Clarke to drive while he poured petrol over her and through the cabin of the car. After driving for just 200 metres, she pulled into a driveway where a man was washing his car and begged him to call the police. Then the car exploded. “The explosion was so loud, it rattled windows across the street and some thought they heard a gas explosion,” the hearing was told. Though Clarke was able to free herself from the car, she was completely engulfed in flames. Her injuries were so severe they couldn’t be treated, and she died from them later that afternoon. Baxter was also badly burnt, but able to grab his knife from the burning car and impale himself, puncturing his heart and killing himself. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846189/hannah-clarke2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7bb9301ee0ee463eb6a6240151bc0992" /> Hannah Clarke with her children Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey. Image: @smallsteps4hannah (Instagram) The court heard that just before 8.30 am on February 19, Clarke left her parents’ home with her children and was intercepted by Baxter, when he climbed into the passenger’s seat armed with a knife and a can of petrol. “Hannah screamed at Baxter to get out of the car. Her screams were desperate and fearful - we know this because a worried neighbour recorded them,” Brasch <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/qld/shocking-details-of-murder-of-hannah-clarke-and-her-children-revealed-ahead-of-qld-coronial-inquest-c-4847260" target="_blank">said</a>. Baxter then ordered Clarke to drive while he poured petrol over her and through the cabin of the car. After driving for just 200 metres, she pulled into a driveway where a man was washing his car and begged him to call the police. Then the car exploded. “The explosion was so loud, it rattled windows across the street and some thought they heard a gas explosion,” the hearing was told. Though Clarke was able to free herself from the car, she was completely engulfed in flames. Her injuries were so severe they couldn’t be treated, and she died from them later that afternoon. Baxter was also badly burnt, but able to grab his knife from the burning car and impale himself, puncturing his heart and killing himself. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846190/hannah-clarke3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/58407a7cdf0d4b708e6be8ec09dfe87b" /> Hannah Clarke’s parents, Sue and Lloyd, at her funeral. Image: 7News Brasch described the murders of Clarke and her children as acts of “unimaginable cruelty”, but said the hearings were needed to determine if their lives could have been saved. Speaking outside court, Clarke’s parents, Lloyd and Sue Clarke, said they hoped the hearings would bring some kind of closure. “It will be good to have it finally over and hopefully it will fill in a few missing pieces for us,” Sue Clarke said. “If we can save just one more life through things that are found out, that would be great.” If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). In an emergency, call 000. Image: Jono Searle (Getty Images) / @smallsteps4hannah (Instagram)

Caring

Inquest hears evidence on three-year-old’s death on inflatable trampoline

A funfair worker attempted to catch a three-year-old girl who was thrown higher than a house when an inflatable trampoline exploded, an inquest has heard. Ava-May Littleboy was playing on the trampoline when it burst on the beach at Gorleston-on-Sea in Norfolk, England on July 1, 2018. Beth Jones, a friend of Ava-May’s aunt Abbie Littleboy, said the toddler “went up so high, it was higher than my house, about 20 feet [6 metres]”. Jones said she heard a loud bang before she saw Ava-May in the air. “There was a massive thud and Ava came down on her face and tummy. I wasn’t close enough to catch her,” said Jones. She said a funfair worker “had her arms fully out to try to catch her, but she couldn’t as it was so quick”. Abbie Littleboy said the sides of the inflatable trampoline seemed “stiff” but thought it was “meant to be” that way. She said she saw Ava-May “flipping” through the air after a loud boom. “I just remember my little niece flipping. Her eyes were closed and she didn’t scream. I remember looking at her little face and I think the force that sent her up had already done something to her. It was like she was asleep.” Ava-May landed on her face on the sand, suffered a head injury and died in hospital. In a statement read by the coroner, the child’s father Nathan Rowe said: “My heart is scattered all over that beach. I will never go back there as long as I live.” The other child on the inflatable trampoline had no severe injuries. Norfolk senior coroner Jacqueline Lake said the inquest would hear evidence about the “acquisition of the inflatable trampoline, risk assessments carried out, working practices at Johnson Funfairs Limited and the responsibilities and roles within that business”. It would not “include the reason why the inflatable trampoline exploded”. Last year, Norfolk Police announced that <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-47557228">no individual or company would be charged with manslaughter offences</a> over the incident. The nine-day inquest continues.

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