Maree Mavis Crabtree is currently facing trial in Brisbane, accused of murdering her son, Jonathan Crabtree, in July 2017, as well as an earlier attempt on his life. Additionally, she is charged with attempted fraud related to a claim on her son’s superannuation insurance policy. The 59-year-old has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.
During the proceedings, the jury was shown recordings of Ms. Crabtree’s conversations with police officers who arrived at her residence shortly after she found her son deceased in his bedroom. The prosecution asserts that Ms. Crabtree administered a mixed drink containing a fatal dose of Oxycodone, a prescription painkiller, to her son at their home in Maudsland. In the lead-up to his death, Jonathan Crabtree had a history of substance abuse and had previously been involved in criminal activities, including a robbery of a pharmacy.
On Thursday, the jury listened to Ms. Crabtree’s initial interview with law enforcement, where she expressed her shock over her son’s death. She recounted that he had previously attempted self-harm, stating, “It’s just devastated me, I can’t believe it.” However, she remarked that she did not foresee this incident as a suicide, indicating that such signs were usually apparent. She described her son as often appearing “drugged out,” which alerted her to his struggles, but claimed he seemed “peaceful” at the time of her discovery.
Furthermore, Ms. Crabtree speculated that her son might have suffered a heart attack due to his obesity rather than an overdose. During the interview, she noted that he had recently expressed having “the best day I’ve had in years,” despite being informed by a doctor that he might need to be placed in a “geriatric” care facility.
The jury has been informed that after Jonathan’s death, a significant amount of prescription drug packaging was uncovered in his room, including some that were empty and others that still contained medication. Notably, Oxycodone was not located in his room but was discovered in other areas of the house.
Ms. Crabtree described her reaction to the findings in her son’s room as “horrified” and “mortified,” asserting that she was unaware of his access to many of the medications. However, she later admitted to knowing about his addiction, claiming he would “inject anything,” including his sister’s medications, and even mentioned that he had once injected Vegemite. She recounted how he would visit multiple doctors to obtain prescriptions and revealed that several pharmacies had banned him due to his behavior.
Additionally, Ms. Crabtree disclosed that her son had previously procured illicit substances from a gang member and had reported this to Crime Stoppers. When asked about Jonathan’s cognitive abilities, she acknowledged that assessments following his accident indicated he functioned at a level equivalent to that of a six to eight-year-old child, yet she found it “strange” that his addiction persisted.
The trial, overseen by Justice Martin Burns, is ongoing.
