Mother Accused of Murdering Son with Lethal Smoothie in Insurance Fraud Scheme
A mother has been accused of giving her adult son a fatal smoothie laced with painkillers following bitter disputes over money and an intolerable living situation, a jury at Brisbane Supreme Court has heard.
Maree Mavis Crabtree, 59, is facing charges of murder, attempted murder, and fraud. She allegedly killed her 26-year-old son Jonathan Crabtree with an overdose of the prescription drug oxycodone on July 19, 2017, at their family home north of the Gold Coast.
Details of the Alleged Crime
Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco told the jury that paramedics found Jonathan dead on his bed at 9.55am, with his legs hanging to the floor and a Spider-Man backpack at his feet. A pathologist determined his sudden death was caused by an excessive amount of oxycodone in his bloodstream.
Investigators discovered no oxycodone or related packaging in Jonathan's room or among his other drugs in the backpack. Ms Marco stated, 'The Crown will prove it was his mother who killed him by deliberately giving him a drink in the form of a shake that she prepared with a blender in the kitchen of their home that contained the oxycodone that killed him.'
The prosecution alleges Crabtree then made a $125,000 insurance claim following her son's death. She has also been accused of attempting to murder Jonathan in January 2017, six months before the fatal incident.
Family Testimony and Motives
The jury heard that Crabtree's daughter, Tara, is expected to testify that she helped her mother by keeping watch as the drink was prepared. Tara reportedly heard Jonathan struggling and coughing throughout the night after consuming the smoothie.
'Tara will tell you the next morning her mother told her Jonathan was dead but it was four hours later that (Crabtree) called triple zero,' Ms Marco said. 'Tara says that was not the first time that her mother had given a drink to Jonathan containing oxycodone with the intent of ending his life.'
Jonathan Crabtree was described as a 'troubled man' with abusive behaviours who used drugs and had been charged with robbing a chemist. A 2015 car crash left him with permanent injuries requiring physical care.
The family home in Maudsland was jointly owned by Jonathan and his sister. Ms Marco told the court, 'She told Tara that Jonathan's involvement in the robbery had put the family's finances in jeopardy, which was the reason why she needed to kill him.'
Crabtree reportedly found her living situation with her son 'no longer tolerable' but lacked the funds to buy out his stake in the property.
Evidence and Trial Proceedings
Investigators found numerous bottles of liquid oxycodone in the family home and a smoothie blender that tested positive for drugs. Defence barrister Angus Edwards is expected to make an opening statement as the trial progresses.
Maree Crabtree pleaded not guilty to all charges when her trial began on Tuesday. The case is scheduled to run for five weeks before Justice Martin Burns and is expected to hear from approximately 60 witnesses.
