Mum cleared of killing son now charged with murdering her daughter | World | News
The mother, who was cleared of killing her son, is now accused of killing her daughter. Maree Mavis Crabtree, from Queensland, Australia, was found not guilty of murdering her 26-year-old son Jonathan.
Her body was found at their Gold Coast home in 2017 and Crabtree, 59, was accused of making an oxycodone-laced smoothie before making a $125,000 insurance claim on her pension death benefit policy.
Crabtree has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, attempted murder and fraud. A jury found him not guilty on all counts earlier this month.
Now he will have to return to court on murder charges in the death of his youngest daughter, Erin.
Erin, who was 18 at the time, was found unresponsive at her parents’ home in September 2012. Her mother, brother and sister were away enjoying a trip to the Pacific Islands.
The trip was provided by a disability service to provide Erin with a holiday, but her mother told the travel agent that her daughter would not be going just a few weeks before the trip.
Full details of the second murder charge against Crabtree were withheld from the jury during Jonathan’s murder trial, but the judge referred to his death in his summation.
In addition to the murder charges, Crabtree is also accused of attempted fraud 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 in the Brisbane District Court on May 22, including eight charges of obtaining financial advantage by deception between 2009 and 2018, and three charges of general fraud.
Crabtree’s lawyer, Jodie Mair, said the Commonwealth charges could not progress until her client’s High Court case was concluded.
“I can confirm that the first of these indictments has been resolved through trial,” Mair said, referring to Crabtree’s May 11 acquittal.
He said outstanding murder and state fraud charges are listed for mention or review within the next month.
“This is a situation where (Commonwealth) matters cannot reasonably proceed until the Supreme Court matters are concluded, and that may largely determine how those matters proceed,” he said.
He said the lines of communication between the defense and the prosecution were open regarding the remaining Supreme Court indictment.
The Commonwealth charges are listed for hearing in the District Court on July 16.
