A Queensland mother who was recently acquitted of murdering her son now faces a murder charge over the death of her daughter. Maree Mavis Crabtree, 59, was cleared earlier this month of killing her 26-year-old son Jonathan, whose remains were found at their Gold Coast property in 2017.
Prosecutors had alleged Crabtree laced a smoothie with oxycodone and then made a $125,000 insurance claim from his superannuation death benefit policy. She denied murder, attempted murder and fraud, and a jury returned not guilty verdicts on all counts.
Now, Crabtree must answer to a murder charge concerning the death of her youngest daughter Erin. The 18-year-old was found unresponsive at the family home in September 2012 while her mother, brother and sister were on a Pacific Islands cruise. The trip had been arranged by a disability service to give Erin a break, but Crabtree told the travel agent weeks beforehand that her daughter would not be attending.
Details of the second murder allegation were withheld from jurors during Jonathan's trial, though the judge mentioned her death in his summing up. In addition to the murder charge, Crabtree faces multiple fraud offences totalling at least $130,000, including Commonwealth fraud allegations. Defence solicitor Jodie Mair said the Commonwealth proceedings are on hold pending resolution of the Supreme Court matters.
Crabtree's acquittal on May 11 resolved one indictment, but the remaining murder and state fraud allegations are scheduled for mention or review in the coming month. The Commonwealth allegations are due for mention in Brisbane District Court on July 16.
