Kelly Wilkinson’s shattered family have claimed she was scared for her life following years of abuse at the hands of her estranged husband.
Mum-of-three Kelly Wilkinson suffered years of torment before her horrific death this week, her devastated family have claimed in a heartbreaking interview.
The 27-year-old was found dead with burn injuries in her backyard in the quiet Gold Coast suburb of Arundel early on Tuesday morning, with three children aged under nine at home at the time.
Blood stains were allegedly found at the rear patio of Ms Wilkinson’s Spikes Court home, with three knives, a melted plastic jerry can and a duffel bag containing rope, duct tape and a steel jemmy bar also allegedly found at the scene.
RELATED: System failed Kelly Wilkinson: Police
Ms Wilkinson’s estranged husband, American-born former marine Brian Earl Johnston, has been charged with her murder.
Speaking exclusively to the Gold Coast Bulletin, Ms Wilkinson’s family shared disturbing new claims about the years of torment she was subjected to, revealing she had been scared for her life and for her children’s safety in the weeks before her murder.
Her father Reg Wilkinson and sisters Natalie and Emma Wilkinson and Danielle Carroll also chillingly revealed she attempted to leave Johnston in the US five years ago, but that the 34-year-old followed her home to the Gold Coast.
Danielle Carroll told the Bulletin her sister suffered “months, years of abuse. She came forward and said ‘I am scared for my life, I am scared for my children’s life. We are not safe’.”
“She was saying this to the police over and over and nothing was done. There was no support, there was no safeguard.”
Ms Carroll’s claim of systemic failure was backed up by Queensland Police this week, with Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd acknowledging the system had failed Kelly.
“She’s been killed, we will allege, in horrific circumstances. Somewhere along the line, she had engaged with the system, with us,” Commissioner Codd told reporters.
“I think it’s important that we examine to what extent it is a systemic failure.
“We haven’t come to that conclusion yet, but there’s certainly, ultimately it’s a failure. A woman has died.
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“I’d be loath to allow women to think for one moment that the stories are (not) listened to.”
Emma Wilkinson told the publication her sister was “being harassed by (Johnston) almost every day” before her death and that she was considering going back to him for her own and her children’s safety.
Natalie Wilkinson said Kelly had initially only confided in her mother Karen about her situation, but that she had opened up to the wider family following Karen’s sudden death around seven weeks ago.
The family claim Johnston controlled Ms Wilkinson’s everyday life, restricting her clothing and hairstyle and access to money and preventing her from working or getting a driver’s licence.
Danielle said after they separated several months ago, Ms Wilkinson – who married Johnston at age 18 after meeting him online – was excited to start a new life.
“She could finally dress how she wanted, she could finally speak how she wanted, she was finally just starting to get glimpses of that happiness within,” she said.
RELATED: Mother-of-three’s horrifying final moments revealed
The family claimed Ms Wilkinson’s death was preventable and that the system needed to change to better protect those experiencing family violence.
Ms Wilkinson’s death came just one day before nine-month-old Kobi Shepherson also lost her life along with her father in a horrifying murder-suicide at the Whispering Wall reservoir in South Australia.
The two unconnected tragedies have once again reignited debate about Australia’s domestic violence crisis, with advocates calling for greater leadership and systemic change.