Rowan Baxter’s cousin opens up on his degrading views on women

An estranged relative of Rowan Baxter, who killed his wife and three children, has opened up about the degrading views he held about women.

The estranged cousin of Rowan Baxter has revealed the man, who killed his wife and three children in a car fire on Wednesday, had degrading views on women that fuelled his rage.

“Not that I’m saying Rowan is a victim, but Rowan has been raised by a father and his father and his father — and it goes onwards — that women are two things: to be the house cleaner and to be a prostitute,” Sandra Taylor, who is Mr Baxter’s first cousin on his mother’s side, told 9 News.

Mr Baxter killed his wife Hannah Clarke, and children Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3, when he doused them in petrol and set their car alight in Brisbane on Wednesday morning.

He died shortly after stabbing himself in the abdomen with a knife.

Rowan Baxter with his wife Hannah Clarke and children Laianah, Aaliyah and Trey outside their Integr8 gym. Photo: Facebook

Ms Taylor said she was not surprised at Mr Baxter’s horrific actions.

“For everybody else, they’re shocked; I’m not,” she told 9 News.

She explained how she had often seen his threatening actions up close.

Rowan Baxter’s cousin Sandra Taylor speaks out. Picture: 9 News

Mr Baxter once spread dog poo all over her yard after she had offered support to Ms Clarke.

“It was just fear, complete fear,” Ms Taylor said.

“The moment I reached out to Hannah there was all this dog faeces. I’ve never had a stray dog on my property.

“He was continually walking past my store at the shopping centre the same one where Hannah worked.

“One time, Hannah had come to the car and he was letting Trey play with the photos of his mother cut up — so very, very threatening that Hannah’s life was coming to an end.”

Ms Taylor said Mr Baxter’s behaviour became increasingly worrying in the months leading up to the murders.

“Rowan was a man with a dangerous sense of possession and entitlement over his wife and children, particularly in the last three months, that I was concerned for,” she said in a separate interview with the Daily Mail.

“This was a man with a level of hatred and disrespect for their mother so great that he would make this choice — the most horrifying and despicable of choices.”

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Rowan Baxter with Hannah Clarke after she gave birth.

KILLER DAD WAS CHEATING ON WIFE

Ms Taylor has also revealed that she believed Mr Baxter was cheating on his wife before he killed her.

“We were at a family barbecue and he was at the grill and I walked over to him and he was sending hundreds of texts to other women,” she told the Daily Mail.

“I know Hannah believed she wasn’t the only one.”

VIGIL TO BE HELD TODAY TO MOURN FAMILY

Meanwhile, a vigil will be held to mourn the lives of Ms Clarke and her children at 5pm today at Bill Hewitt Reserve in Camp Hill, while Brisbane’s Story Bridge, Victoria Bridge and City Hall will all be lit up pink to honour the late family.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner told The Courier-Mail a large crowd was expected to gather at the park.

“I think it will be a wonderful celebration of Hannah and the children’s lives,” he said.

People drop off flowers at the scene where Hannah Clarke and her children were killed by their father Rowan Baxter. Picture: AAP/John Gass

“There are so many negative things that could be focused on but she was a beautiful person with beautiful children, from a beautiful family.”

On Saturday, Hannah’s family posted a thankyou message for public support as donations for the family soared past $206,000.

“It is the most beautiful thing to see so many people offering donations and such kind messages — It has given the family hope for change and touched their hearts to know so many care,” Ms Clarke’s sister-in-law Stacey Roberts said.

— with AAP