Maree Mavis Crabtree has entered a not guilty plea regarding the murder of her son, Jonathan Crabtree, in July 2017, as well as charges of attempted murder from January of the same year and attempted fraud exceeding $100,000.
Jonathan Crabtree was discovered deceased after allegedly consuming a fruit smoothie laced with a lethal amount of oxycodone, which was reportedly prepared by his mother.
The proceedings are anticipated to last five weeks, with around 60 witnesses scheduled to testify.
A mother from the Gold Coast, accused of fatally poisoning her 26-year-old son with a smoothie made in a kitchen blender, has denied all charges against her.
The Supreme Court trial commenced in Brisbane on Tuesday for Maree Mavis Crabtree, who stands accused of murdering and attempting to murder Jonathan Crabtree in 2017, in addition to attempting to commit fraud.
The prosecution claims that Mrs. Crabtree intentionally administered a deadly mix of prescription medications to her son at their residence in Maudsland in July 2017.
In her opening statement, Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco informed the court that on July 18, Mrs. Crabtree blended a drink containing oxycodone and served it to Jonathan. The pathologist who examined his remains determined that excessive oxycodone was the cause of his sudden death, as stated in court.
According to the prosecution, Mrs. Crabtree contacted emergency services on the morning of July 19, expressing concern that her son was not breathing. Ms. Marco noted that when instructed by the operator to perform CPR, Mrs. Crabtree declined, citing a back injury and claiming she could not remain in the room because she believed her son was already deceased.
When emergency personnel arrived, they reportedly found Jonathan showing clear signs of having been dead for several hours.
The prosecution further alleged that following her son’s death, Mrs. Crabtree made a fraudulent claim against his superannuation for a death benefit.
Ms. Marco stated that Jonathan’s younger sister, Tara Crabtree, would testify about their mother’s alleged plan to kill Jonathan. “She will share that she assisted her mother by watching out while she prepared the drink, and she heard him struggling and coughing throughout the night after he consumed it,” Ms. Marco said.
She added that Tara would recount her mother’s admission of Jonathan’s death the following morning, but it was not until hours later that she called emergency services. Tara would also testify that this was not the first instance of their mother giving Jonathan a drink containing oxycodone with the intent to end his life.
Furthermore, Tara is expected to provide evidence regarding an earlier incident in January 2017, where she allegedly witnessed their mother crushing pills into a milkshake. In another attempt, Tara reportedly observed her mother adding medication and crushed tablets into a fruit smoothie, aiming to mask the drug’s scent.
During the trial, the prosecution highlighted that at the time of Jonathan’s demise, he co-owned the family home with Tara, while Mrs. Crabtree resided there without her name on the title. Ms. Marco emphasized that Mrs. Crabtree insisted on her financial contributions to the house’s construction, despite ongoing family tensions.
The court was informed that Jonathan had struggled with drug abuse and had faced legal troubles, including a robbery charge related to a pharmacy. He had also sustained serious injuries from a traffic accident in June 2015, which required ongoing physical care.
The prosecution noted that Mrs. Crabtree had described her son as “difficult and abusive” and claimed that his involvement in the robbery had jeopardized the family’s financial stability, which she cited as a motive for his alleged murder.
Ms. Marco indicated that the primary issue for the jury would be whether they accepted the prosecution’s case that Mrs. Crabtree, with her daughter’s assistance, caused Jonathan to ingest the lethal drug.
Defense attorney Angus Edwards urged the jury to consider the challenges Mrs. Crabtree faced as a mother living with a “violent, suicidal, drug addict.” He requested that they evaluate her actions within the context of her difficult situation.
Mr. Edwards acknowledged that Jonathan’s death was due to a drug overdose but suggested that the circumstances surrounding it could have involved other factors, including the possibility that he had accessed drugs independently.
He also raised doubts about Tara’s credibility, noting that her allegations emerged over two years after her brother’s passing, questioning whether the jury would believe her account of the events.
The first day of the trial concluded with the jury hearing a recording of Mrs. Crabtree’s emergency call.
