Horrific details surrounding Queensland mother Maree Crabtree’s ‘premedidated and calculated’ murder of her adult children have continued to emerge.
The 51-year-old was arrested Wednesday morning over the deaths of her disabled children, Jonathan Crabtree, 26, and daughter Erin Crabtree, 18.
Both deaths were suspicious and initially believed to be suicide, however police now allege they were ‘premedidated, calculated and financially driven crimes’, A Current Affair reports.
In a press conference held Wednesday, Detective Inspector Mark Thompson alleged the woman had encouraged her son to hold up a chemist in Southport, Queensland.
Friend and football coach Adam Flyer described Jonathan as a ‘big hearted guy’ and found it hard to believe he had committed such a heinous crime.
Gold Coast woman Maree Mavis Crabtree (pictured), 51, was arrested on Wednesday morning over the deaths of her disabled children
Friend and football coach Adam Flyer (pictured) described Jonathan as a ‘big hearted guy’ and found it hard to believe he had committed such a heinous crime
Police alleged before Jonathan’s death, Crabtree counselled him to hold up a chemist with a knife for prescription painkillers
‘He was never a violent person, ever. Everyone was like, ‘Crabs did an armed robbery? Wow’.’
‘It was like saying Mother Theresa just did an armed robbery.’
He also said learning about his suicide ‘didn’t sit right’ given he’d lost his sister shortly beforehand to similar circumstances.
In 2012 18-year-old Erin was left behind when Crabtree and Jonathon went on a cruise, despite the teen requiring full-time care.
She was found dead in her home by a neighbour – police now alleging she was killed by her mother before they left for her holiday.
Recently emerged footage shows Crabtree socialising with other holidaymakers while enjoying a separate cruise holiday in November 2011.
Police have alleged before his death, she counselled him to hold up a chemist with a knife for prescription painkillers
In 2012 18-year-old Erin was left behind when Crabtree and Jonathon went on a cruise, despite the teen requiring full-time care
Erin was found dead in her home by a neighbour – police now alleging she was killed by her mother before they left for her holiday
Recently emerged footage shows Crabtree socialising with other holidaymakers while enjoying a separate cruise holiday in November 2011
NSW Central Coast cameraman Noel Sadler, of Skip Film Productions, met her during a 16-night cruise which departed from Sydney and took in Fiji, Tonga, Noumea, and Vanuatu, News.com.au reported.
Clips show the mother taking part in activities alongside other travelers, like walking through a park, watching coconut cracking and ice carving demonstrations and dancing.
‘Maree seemed fairly normal. ‘She said the family’s cruise was paid for by a (charity) foundation but I don’t know if that was true,’ Mr Sadler said.
He said Jonathon was ‘full of life and always partying’, but Erin never got involved with activities and was always in her cabin.
‘We only ever saw her briefly once or twice throughout the entire trip.’
Noel Sadler said during a cruise in 2011, Erin didn’t come out of her cabin or get involved in activities
‘Maree seemed fairly normal. ‘She said the family’s cruise was paid for by a (charity) foundation but I don’t know if that was true,’ Mr Sadler said
He said Jonathon was ‘full of life and always partying’, but Erin never got involved with activities and was always in her cabin
The mother-of-three is facing murder charges, one count of torture, one count of grievous bodily harm on a relative across seven years and two counts of fraud.
She has also been charged with armed robbery, which related to Jonathan holding up a chemist in 2015.
He stormed into the store wearing a balaclava and wielding a knife, before demanding staff hand over ‘all your Tramadol’.
Jonathon had been addicted to the prescription painkiller since being involved in a car accident in 2009.
His friend, Amy Lee, told A Current Affair he had just begun getting back on track when he died.
‘He was trying to pick himself up and I was proud of him for that. He’d come a long way from the car accident because he wasn’t meant to make it,’ she said.
‘He had plans to have kids and to have a family.’
His friend, Amy Lee (pictured), told A Current Affair he had just begun getting back on track when he died
‘He was trying to pick himself up and I was proud of him for that. He’d come a long way from the car accident because he wasn’t meant to make it,’ she said
Jonathan’s body was found at an Upper Coomera home in July last year, while Erin died at a Maudsland home in September 2012, where the accused was living at the time.
Police will allege Crabtree gave her daughter a lethal dose of drugs before taking the rest of the family on a holiday, and that a suicide note believed to have been penned by her son was actually written by her.
Handwriting experts have been called in to verify the handwriting on the note is not Jonathan’s.
Police will allege Crabtree slowly poisoned her children over an ‘extended period’, Nine News reported.
Crabtree was allegedly responsible for killing her son, Jonathan (pictured) whose body was found at an Upper Coomera home in July last year
When her son was found dead years later, a suicide note was discovered – but police will allege it was prepared by the mother
Crabtree had allegedly been administering medication over a period of time, contributing to her children’s medical conditions, from which she benefited financially.
Detectives allege Crabtree fraudulently received over $550,000 from an insurance payment, before allegedly attempting to receive another $125,000 death benefit and $238,000 permanent disability claim.
‘These acts haven’t been compassionate acts or [the work of] a stressed mother at her end,’ Detective Inspector Thompson said.
‘These are premeditated acts of murder.’
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