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A hero paramedic whispered to a mother 'I'm not going to let you die' after her estranged husband doused his family in petrol and set them alight before turning a knife on himself.
Rowan Baxter, 42, ambushed his ex wife Hannah Clarke, 31, and their children Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three, while they did a school run in Camp Hill in Brisbane's south in February 2020.
He set the car on fire, leaving his children to burn to death inside, while Hannah jumped from the driver's seat covered in petrol and severe burns.
Baxter stood outside the flaming car branding a knife to stop bystanders from helping the children, before thrusting it through his abdomen into his heart, while Hannah lay 100 metres away in the street.
Hannah Clarke (pictured with children Trey, Aaliyah and Laianah) was murdered by her estranged husband Rowan Baxter
Hero paramedic Stephen Rashford revealed the gut-wrenching lie he told to Hannah - 'I'm not going to let you die' - as she was treated for horrific burns he knew she would not survive
Queensland Ambulance Service Medical Director Dr Stephen Rashford ran between the monster who had killed his family in a horrific act of violence and the dying mother, advising teams of paramedics on how to save both their lives.
'You had Hannah at one end and you had the perpetrator at the other end,' Dr Rashford told the Courier Mail.
'[Baxter was dark and sometimes when people are dark it’s hard to work out how burnt they are. Whereas, looking at Hannah, she was obviously burnt. Everything but the soles of her feet.'
Due to the severity of the incident, Dr Rashford had been called in to work with the High Acuity Response Unit and other paramedics.
Emergency teams were aware of what Baxter had done and felt conflicted, but had to remain
