EXCLUSIVE
The ride-on lawnmower at the centre of a mother-of-three’s ‘suspicious’ late night death has a safety feature designed to stop the vehicle from moving when no one is sitting on it.
Frances Crawford, 49, was found dead at her home on Thomas Road at Upper Lockyer, southeast Queensland, at 3.40am on Tuesday after police were called to the property following reports she had been crushed by a ride-on lawnmower.
Police on Thursday announced the case was being treated as suspicious – just hours after ten cop cars – including several forensics vehicles – were seen descending on the rural property.
Now, Daily Mail Australia can reveal Husqvarna ride-on-mowers – like the one towed away from the property on Tuesday – are equipped with a built-in ‘kill switch’.
Kill switches, a common feature on ride-on mowers, work by turning off the device’s major systems – like its engine and blade – when a driver leaves the seat.
However, the setting – which operates via a pressure sensor situated under the seat – can be disabled – and it is not unusual for riders to do so for ease of use.
It is also unclear how effective this feature would be in preventing injury if a lawnmower encountered trouble on a slope and rolled down an embankment – as was initially reported to be the case in Ms Crawford’s death.
The revelation comes as police work to piece together the circumstances surrounding the unusual death, with detectives reportedly baffled as to why Ms Crawford was outside mowing at that time of night in the middle of winter.
Frances Crawford, 49, (pictured) was found dead at her home on Thomas Road, at Upper Lockyer, near Toowoomba, in south-east Queensland, at about 3.40am on Tuesday
Detectives spent Tuesday collecting evidence from the home (including the lawnmower, pictured)
Temperatures in Toowoomba early on Tuesday morning plunged to as low as -5C.
Two days into the investigation, police revealed on Thursday that they have now ‘deemed the death as suspicious’ following ‘further investigations’.
However, detectives are still waiting on the results of forensic testing – including autopsy results.
Nine police cars were seen arriving at the property, which is located in bushland at the end of a 1km-long driveway.
The vehicles included two forensics vans, detectives in a four-wheel drive, a ute filled with forensics supplies, two patrol vehicles, and uniformed officers in an unmarked car.
Ms Crawford is a psychologist who grew up in the Toowoomba region.
Her husband Robert Crawford is a RAAF cargo plane pilot and squadron leader – a senior role and the equivalent of a Major in the Army – who operates out of the Royal Australian Air Force base at Amberley, about 8km southwest of Ipswich.
Over the past two decades, the couple have lived around Australia – including in Sydney, Adelaide and in Queensland – as Sqn Ldr Crawford worked numerous roles within Australian Defence Force.
Husband Robert Crawford (pictured) is an squadron leader – a senior role and the equivalent of a Major in the Army – who operates out of the Royal Australian Airforce Amberley Base
Pictured above is one of the nine police cars that arrived at the property on Thursday
A police vehicle is seen leaving the rural property on Thursday afternoon after the case was deemed suspicious
Forensics equipment could be seen in one of the arriving cars
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Crawford’s parents Joke and Ben Pilon said their son-in-law Robert was devastated by his wife’s death.
‘He’s broken,’ Ms Pilon said.
‘They lived here happily together.’
Tributes have begun to flow for Ms Crawford who has been remembered for her ‘gentle nature’ and kindness.
Her brother, David Pilon, said she had ‘a loving heart’.
‘She loved Jesus and it is a great comfort to her family and friends that she is now at peace in heaven,’ he told the Toowoomba Chronicle.
‘While Frances was taken from her family far too soon, she touched the lives of so many people during her 49 years.’
He added that she had a ‘beautiful soul inside and out’.
Quality Life Psychology Services said she was a ‘dearly loved and well-respected member’ of their team.
‘Frances always took the time to ask after others with kindness and consideration, often responding with humility and thoughtful humour,’ the clinic said.
‘Frances was easy to be around and her gentle nature will be sadly missed but long remembered by her colleagues, friends and clients at Quality Life Psychology Services.
‘Our hearts and prayers are with Frances family at this tragic time.’
