Woman found dead in backyard identified as Gold Coast mum
The dead woman whose burnt body was found in the backyard of a Gold Coast home has been identified as mum-of-three Kelly Wilkinson.
Officers are treating the death of Ms Wilkinson at a home in Spikes Court, Arundel on Tuesday morning as a homicide, with a man who also suffered burns arrested nearby.
Queensland Police on Tuesday evening said they had charged a 34-year-old New Beith man with murder and breaching a domestic violence order.
The man remains under police guard in Gold Coast University Hospital and his case will be heard on Wednesday morning at Southport Magistrates Court.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family and pay for Ms Wilkinson's funeral.
"Please help us! We appreciate any help no matter how big or small," organiser of the fundraiser Natalie Wilkinson said.
Earlier on Tuesday Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said Ms Wilkinson and the man were known to each other.
"The male person we located and the deceased female person were known to each other, and potentially in a previous relationship," Det Insp Ahearn told reporters.
"So that is the subject of one of the avenues of our ongoing investigation into this matter."
Neighbours reported raised voices coming from the home about 6.40am.
"It was obviously a very confronting scene, a female person deceased in the rear yard of a residence, apparently suffering from burn-type injuries," Det Insp Ahearn said.
Children safe, man arrested
The three children, all under the age of nine and home at the time, may have witnessed Ms Wilkinson's death.
All three are safe and will be interviewed as part of the investigation.
The man arrested and then charged by police was found semi-conscious with serious burn injuries on a lawn two blocks away.
The 34-year-old was taken to the Gold Coast University Hospital under police guard and is undergoing medical treatment.
Det Insp Ahearn said the man has burns to his hands and may have internal burns in his airway.
He said the man's burn injuries may have been caused by an attempt at self-harm.
"That's most certainly one of the possibilities, absolutely," he said.
Police are speaking with local residents and have stopped rubbish collections because potential evidence may have been dumped in a bin.
Det Insp Ahearn said the man may be moved to a Brisbane hospital for treatment on medical advice.
Police will interview the 34-year-old as soon as they are able, he said.
The tragic find comes after Brisbane mother Hannah Clarke, 31, was doused with petrol and set alight by her estranged husband while in her car with her three children in February 2020. All four died of their injuries.
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