Mourners hear of Hannah Clarke’s lost dreams at Camp Hill vigil
The day before she was killed, Hannah Clarke visited a friend at the local Police Citizens Youth Club and spoke of her plan to become a police officer.
The day before she was killed, Hannah Clarke visited a friend at the local Police Citizens Youth Club and spoke of her plan to become a police officer.
The story, told by Sergeant David Beard, was among several shared by friends and family of the 31-year-old mother who spoke at a vigil in Camp Hill on Sunday evening.
More than 1000 people gathered in drizzling rain at Bill Hewitt Reserve, opposite Whites Hill State College where Hannah went to school and about a kilometre from where her life ended.
Hannah died in Royal Brisbane Hospital on Wednesday night, hours after suffering burns to more than 90 per cent of her body after she was set alight, along with her children, by her estranged husband Rowan Baxter.
Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll told the crowd that Hannah would have made an excellent police officer.
“Right through to her passing, Hannah showed amazing courage and heroism, ensuring that she gave our police and emergency services at the scene a detailed statement of the horrific events that unfolded, leading to the death of her three children and ultimately herself,” Commissioner Carroll said.
“Hannah’s determination to provide our police the information they needed to ensure justice should be served truly encapsulates the sort of person Hannah was.
“She was strong, she was determined, she was courageous.
“How lucky we would have been in the Queensland Police to have welcomed someone with those attributes into our policing family.”
Hannah’s father Lloyd Clarke thanked the community for its outpouring of support since his daughter and grandchildren, Laianah, Aaliyah and Trey, were killed.
“At times when it has seemed impossible to go on, we have drawn on the strength of our friends and family but also the many strangers who have shown such kindness and reached out to us during this difficult time,” Mr Clarke said.
“While dealing with this truly difficult time, my family and I are forever thankful to our neighbours and those who were first on the scene who tried to desperately help Hannah and the children.
“You selflessly and without hesitation did what you could to save them.
“I don’t know how we can repay such kindness, other than to say we will be eternally grateful.
“You have restored our faith that there are many good and decent people in the world.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner also addressed the crowd during a ceremony chaired by local councillor Fiona Cunningham.
Hannah’s friend Nikki Brookes said the tragedy should spark a national discussion about domestic violence and prompt people to call it out when they see it.
“I don’t think there’s a single law or order that would have saved our darlings,” Ms Brookes said.
“Monsters will find a way.
Ms Brookes said keeping quiet about domestic violence among friends and family was not acceptable.
“Stop being so polite. ‘It’s none of our business’, and ‘I don’t want to get stuck in the middle’, are keeping secrets silent and the suffering is breeding,” she said.
“Those phrases are isolating. If you see something, say something.
“One by one we can let the world know that we won’t stand for this any more.
“Time’s up for domestic violence.”
Mr Schrinner said it was time to stand up and say “no more” to domestic violence.
“Hannah and the children, whether you know it or not, you’ve become a voice for the voiceless,” Mr Schrinner said.
“You have opened so many eyes and what we have seen cannot be unseen.
“Let’s stand up together and say, ‘no more’.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk thanked Hannah’s family for showing the courage to speak out against domestic violence so soon after her death.
“The grief being felt by the family and friends of Hannah and her children, I cannot even begin to comprehend,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“But in this extraordinarily difficult time, they have found the grace and dignity and a profound level of courage to speak out so that we stand together to put an end to the scourge of domestic violence.”
Hannah’s family have started a charity, Small Steps 4 Hannah, which will raise money to help prevent domestic violence.
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