A Queensland man has been charged with murder after the discovery of the burned body of 27-year old Gold Coast mother of three Kelly Wilkinson in her own back yard with her three children under nine nearby.

The 34-year-old man from the nearby town of New Beith was on Tuesday evening charged with murder and breaching a domestic violence order after the discovery of Ms Wilkinson’s charred remains.

The man had been arrested near the property in the Gold Coast suburb Arundel, and had burns to his hands and possibly his airways.

He remains under police guard in Gold Coast University Hospital and his case will be heard on Wednesday morning at Southport Magistrates Court. Queensland Police say he will not be present in court.

Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said Ms Wilkinson and the man were known to each other.

It was obviously a very confronting scene, a female person deceased in the rear yard of a residence, apparently suffering from burn-type injuries
Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn

“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,” he said.

Neighbours reported raised voices coming from the home about 6.40am.

Three children, all under the age of nine and present at the time of the incident, may have witnessed Ms Wilkinson’s death. All three are safe and will be interviewed as part of the investigation. They have been taken into care.

Police blocked access to the street where the body was found on Tuesday morning.

Evidence dumped in bin?

Police are speaking with local residents and have stopped rubbish collections because potential evidence may have been dumped in a bin.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family and pay for Ms Wilkinson’s funeral as well as ongoing schooling for the children.

“Please help us! We appreciate any help no matter how big or small,” organiser of the fundraiser Natalie Wilkinson said.

Man found semi-conscious nearby

Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said police found the woman’s body in the backyard of the property.

The man, who was believed to have been known to the woman, was found later in a “semi-conscious” state on the front lawn of a property two blocks away at Langer Place, he said.

A second crime scene has been established at that property.

Forensic Police catalogued the crime scene at the woman’s house and another at the property where where the man was found.

• With AAP and ABC