Mum cleared of killing son now charged with murdering daughter eight years later

A mum cleared of killing her son has now been charged with murdering her daughter. Maree Mavis Crabtree of Queensland, Australia was found not guilty of killing her son 26-year-old son Jonathan.

His body was found in their Gold Coast home in 2017 and Crabtree, 59, was accused of making a smoothie spiked with oxycodone before making a $125,000 insurance claim from his superannuation death benefit policy.

Crabtree pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder and fraud charges. The jury found her not guilty on each charge earlier this month.

She will now have to return to court on a murder charge over the death of her youngest daughter Erin.

Erin, 18 at the time, was found unresponsive inside the family home in September 2012. Her mother, brother and sister were away enjoying a Pacific Islands cruise.

The trip was provided by a disability service to give Erin a holiday, but her mother told the travel agent that her daughter was not going just weeks before the trip.

All details of the second murder charge against Crabtree were kept from the jury during Jonathan’s murder trial, but the judge referenced her death while summing up.

In addition to the murder charges, Crabtree is charged with attempted frauds of at least $100,000 in December 2018, at least $30,000 between October 2010 and June 2015 and another attempted fraud in June 2015.

Crabtree also faced Commonwealth fraud charges at Brisbane District Court on May 22, including eight counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception between 2009 and 2018, and three charges of general dishonesty.

Crabtree’s lawyer Jodie Mair said the Commonwealth charges could not progress until her client’s Supreme Court matter was finalised.

“I can confirm that the first of those indictments has been resolved by way of a trial,” Mair said, referring to Crabtree’s acquittal on May 11.

She said the outstanding murder and state fraud charges are listed for mention or review within the next 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 said.

She said lines of communication are open between the defence and the prosecution in respect of the remaining Supreme Court indictment.

The Commonwealth charges are listed for mention in the District Court on July 16.