A brave six-year-old girl stood up to her evil father before he burned their family to death, an inquest has heard.
Hannah Clarke, 31, and her three children Aaliyah, six, and Laianah, four, and her son, three-year-old Trey, were savagely killed by monster Rowan Baxter as they got ready for school two years ago.
Baxter, 42, jumped in the family's car in Brisbane, Australia, telling his estranged wife "I wanted to see my children" and telling her to "get out".
He later took his own life after killing his family.
An inquest in Brisbane this week heard from family friend Varvara Meli, who said Aaliyah's brave decision to stand up to her dangerous father was the "last straw" for Hannah Clarke and prompted her to end the decade-long abusive relationship.
Ms Meli told the court how one morning young Aaliyah became upset when her cruel dad came to pick her up from school, MailOnline reports.
The young girl, who was friends with Ms Meli's children, approached her and asked to use an adult phone, she recalled.
She said: "She had opened up to my girls during the day that she wasn’t looking forward to the afternoon.
"'I didn’t ask, I just gave her the phone."
Ms Meli told the inquest the phone call wasn't long and Aalyah was just calling to tell her mum she was okay and she would see her that afternoon.
That short call, and little Aalyiah's actions to reassure her mother was a turning point for Ms Clarke, who later told Ms Meli her daughter's awareness of the situation was the last straw which led to her finally walking away from controlling Baxter.
Earlier at the inquest Ms Clarke's devastating last word's were revealed.
Despite suffering burns to 97% of her body, the brave mum summoned the strength to tell paramedics and police at the scene what happened.
The inquest heard how Hannah told first paramedic on the scene, Stephanie Ring: "My babies are in the car, my children are in the car. Why didn't I just stay in the car with them?"
He had previously rejected an offer to share custody of his three children with Hannah before launching the horrific attack.
Baxter allegedly kidnapped his six-year-old daughter on Boxing Day last year, which allowed Ms Clarke to get a domestic violence order (DVO) against him.
On the opening day of the inquest, a neighbour described Hannah as "amazingly strong", as she tried to stop Baxter's attack and save her children.
The neighbour told how she heard her screaming: "Call the police, he's trying to kill me, he's put petrol on me."
CCTV footage also showed Baxter at a DIY shop buying the jerry can used in the attack.
It was understood in the lead up to her death she had been experiencing increasing levels of violence and coercive control.
The inquest is also set to call witnesses including counsellors and police, who helped Hannah during the breakdown of her marriage - as well as a support worker who took a call from Baxter 16 hours before he killed his family in 2020.
It has also been revealed how in the weeks before her death the mum found a chilling note from her killer partner, which read: “You can’t f*** with someone’s life like this and expect them to just take it.
"“I’m not going to take it anymore Hannah.
“Do you know how hard it is to go to bed every night without your children? I wish you would have just tried.
“You destroyed my life and I cannot move on. I hope all this was worth it for you and your family.
“I’m finishing your game. I don’t want to play anymore. This was never ever my intention.”
