A mother who was cleared of her son’s murder is now facing charges in connection with her daughter’s death. Maree Mavis Crabtree, residing in Queensland, Australia, was acquitted of the killing of her 26-year-old son, Jonathan.
Jonathan’s remains were found on their Gold Coast property in 2017. Crabtree, aged 59, is accused of putting oxycodone in a smoothie and then filing a $125,000 insurance claim based on his superannuation death benefit policy.
Despite facing murder, attempted murder, and fraud charges, Crabtree was found not guilty on all counts by the jury earlier this month. However, she now has to appear in court on a murder charge related to the death of her younger daughter, Erin.
Erin, who was 18 at the time, was discovered unresponsive at the family home in September 2012 while her mother, brother, and sister were away on a Pacific Islands cruise. Although the trip was arranged by a disability service for Erin’s relaxation, Crabtree informed the travel agent weeks before that her daughter would not be joining.
During Jonathan’s murder trial, details concerning the additional murder allegation against Crabtree were withheld from the jury, although the judge mentioned her daughter’s death in the final statements. Apart from the murder accusations, Crabtree also faces charges of attempted fraud amounting to over $100,000 in December 2018, at least $30,000 between October 2010 and June 2015, and another attempted fraud in June 2015.
Furthermore, Crabtree is confronting Commonwealth fraud charges at Brisbane District Court, including eight counts of obtaining financial advantage through deception from 2009 to 2018, along with three general dishonesty charges. Her defense solicitor, Jodie Mair, clarified that the Commonwealth proceedings are paused pending the outcome of her Supreme Court case.
Mair confirmed that one of the indictments has been resolved with a trial resulting in Crabtree’s acquittal. The pending murder and state fraud allegations are set for review in the upcoming month, with ongoing discussions between the defense and prosecution regarding the remaining Supreme Court indictment.
The Commonwealth allegations are scheduled for mention in the District Court on July 16.
