Maree Crabtree: Mum accused of murdering her own son with poison-laced fruit juice had her daughter stand guard as she made the drink, court hears

A mother accused of giving her adult son a fruit juice spiked with a fatal dose of prescription medication allegedly left her daughter to act as a lookout while she mixed the deadly drink, a court has heard.

Maree Mavis Crabtree pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday to murder, attempted murder and attempted fraud following the death of her son Jonathan Crabtree in July 2017.

Crown prosecutor Philip McCarthy KC told the jury the 26-year-old’s body was “found draped over his bed” and that he had “been dead for hours” before paramedics were called to the Maudsland home on the Gold Coast on July 19. , 2017.

It will be alleged that Mr Crabtree died of a fatal overdose of oxycodone, plus a combination of other drugs, which was later discovered in his bloodstream.

The jury was told that Mrs. Crabtree deliberately gave her son a fruit juice drink containing oxycodone that she had made with a blender hours before his death.

She had been taking prescription medications prescribed for her daughter Tara and available at their home.

Mr McCarthy claimed Mrs Crabtree gave the drink to her son to kill him.

Ms Crabtree allegedly mixed the drink in an attempt to hide the smell of oxycodone, the court was told.

Mr Crabtree is said to have drunk the juice his mother had prepared in the kitchen before returning to his bedroom.

The jury was told that at the trial they would hear evidence from Tara Crabtree, the defendant’s daughter, who lived in the Maudsland home with her mother and brother.

“Tara will talk about her mother’s plan to kill her brother at this trial,” McCarthy said.

‘Tara will tell us that she helped her mother, she helped by being the lookout (while her mother went) to prepare the potion in question to ensure that her brother did not come out of his room.

‘His sister Tara will tell us from her room that she could hear her brother coughing and struggling all night.

“How the next morning her mother told her not to go to her brother’s room and that he was dead.”

Mr McCarthy said the jury will hear that this was “not the first time” Mrs Crabtree tried to kill her son.

The Crown will allege that Mrs Crabtree attempted to give her son a fatal overdose in January 2017, but her attempts were unsuccessful.

After his death in July 2017, Mrs Crabtree is also said to have tried to claim more than $100,000 from her son’s life insurance policy.

The jury was told by Mr Crabtree that his mother and sister had previously been in a car accident in 2015 and that he was entitled to insurance benefits.

Mrs. Crabtree had previously been appointed guardian of her son by court order, including his financial decision.

Mr McCarthy said the jury would hear that Mr Crabtree was ‘no saint’ and a ‘troubled young man’ who ‘abused drugs’.

Police had also investigated him for an alleged armed robbery of a pharmacy.

Mr McCarthy said Mrs Crabtree told police after her son’s death that he had been ‘distressed’ after an appointment with a specialist to discuss his insurance case on the day he died.

Mr McCarthy said this specialist was the last appointment Mr Crabtree needed before getting the insurance money.

The Crown will allege Mrs Crabtree killed her son for his insurance money because she was concerned about the financial pressure that would fall on them as a result of his alleged involvement in the armed robbery.

“Tara will tell us that Jonathon’s involvement in an armed robbery has jeopardized their finances and their family home,” McCarthy said.

“That was the express reason that his life had to be ended… he had to be killed.”

The jury was told that Mrs Crabtree had told a number of friends about her concerns about how violent her son had become since the car crash.

Several witnesses are expected to testify at the trial about conversations they had with Mrs Crabtree in which she told them her son ‘didn’t have long to live’.

The jury was told that Mrs Crabtree had also told friends several times that she wished her son had died in the 2015 car crash because he had become a burden on the family.

Mr McCarthy said Mrs Crabtree would have ‘significant financial reasons to end her son’s life’ because Mr Crabtree was ‘difficult to live with’ and ‘her son was violent’.

The jury was told they were also concerned they would lose the family home and that Mr Crabtree was likely to be sued by the victims of the armed robbery.

Ms Crabtree’s barrister, Angus Edwards KC, is expected to address the jury on Monday afternoon.