Former professional rugby player Rowan Baxter, 42, his estranged wife Hannah, 31, and their three young children have died after he allegedly set their family car ablaze in Brisbane, Australia.
According to reports, Baxter, who previously played for the New Zealand Warriors, allegedly filled a petrol can before pouring fuel over the vehicle while Hannah and their children, aged 6, 4, and 3, were inside before setting it on fire.
Hannah reportedly managed to escape the burning vehicle and was heard shouting, “He’s poured petrol on me.” She was rushed to the hospital with serious burns but later succumbed to her injuries.
Baxter also escaped from the vehicle but was found dead at the scene from what authorities described as a self-inflicted stab wound.
Police subsequently discovered the bodies of the couple’s three children inside the burnt-out vehicle.
“It is a horrific scene,” Queensland Police’s Mark Thompson told ABC Australia. However, he declined to confirm whether the incident was being treated as a murder-syndrome, saying the investigation was ongoing.
Baxter and Hannah had reportedly separated the previous year but were still working through a custody arrangement for their children.
The former rugby player had also co-owned Brisbane-based fitness company Integr8 with Hannah. The business was reportedly closed recently.
