A mother who was acquitted of murdering her son is now facing a murder charge over her daughter's death. Maree Mavis Crabtree, 59, from Queensland, Australia, was cleared of all charges related to the death of her 26-year-old son Jonathan, whose remains were discovered at their Gold Coast property in 2017.
Prosecutors had alleged that Crabtree laced a smoothie with oxycodone before making a $125,000 insurance claim from his superannuation death benefit policy. However, a jury delivered not guilty verdicts on all counts, including murder, attempted murder, and fraud, earlier this month.
Now, Crabtree must face court on a murder charge concerning the death of her youngest daughter, Erin. The 18-year-old was found unresponsive at the family residence in September 2012. At the time, Crabtree, her brother, and another sister were abroad on a Pacific Islands cruise. The trip had been arranged by a disability service to provide Erin with a break, but her mother informed the travel agent just weeks beforehand that her daughter would not be attending.
Details surrounding the second murder allegation were withheld from jurors during Jonathan's trial, though the judge made reference to Erin's death during the summing up.
Beyond the murder accusations, Crabtree also faces attempted fraud charges totaling at least $100,000 in December 2018, at least $30,000 between October 2010 and June 2015, and a further attempted fraud in June 2015. Additionally, she was charged with Commonwealth fraud at Brisbane District Court on May 22, facing eight counts of securing financial advantage through deception spanning 2009 to 2018, along with three general dishonesty charges.
Defence solicitor Jodie Mair explained that the Commonwealth proceedings are on hold pending resolution of her client's Supreme Court case. "I can confirm that the first of those indictments has been resolved by way of a trial," Mair stated, referencing Crabtree's acquittal on May 11. She indicated that the remaining murder and state fraud allegations are scheduled for mention or review in the coming month. "It's the case where these (Commonwealth) matters reasonably can't progress until finalisation of the Supreme Court matters, and largely that may dictate how these matters proceed," she explained.
Mair confirmed ongoing dialogue between defence and prosecution regarding the remaining Supreme Court indictment. The Commonwealth allegations are due for mention in the District Court on July 16.
