<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="" title="Queensland"><span>Queensland</span></a><span> mother accused of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/murder" rel="" target="" title="murdering"><span>murdering</span></a><span> her son with a drug‑laced smoothie has been found not guilty of all charges by a jury.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Maree Mavis Crabtree, 59, was on trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court accused of killing her 26‑year‑old son, Jonathan, with an overdose of prescription painkillers on July 19, 2017, at the family's home before making a $125,000 insurance claim.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The jury today returned its verdicts of not guilty to all charges of murder, attempt to murder and fraud after deliberating for nearly two and a half days.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/amazon-to-hire-hundreds-of-seasonal-staff-ahead-of-prime-day-july-sale-news/6a7afde5-d333-44a0-a2fd-1e82206b92a9" target="_blank"><strong><span>Hundreds of jobs going begging as e-commerce booms</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Crabtree held her face in her hands as the verdicts were read out and declined to comment as she left court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Crabtree had pleaded not guilty to murdering Jonathan at the home north of the Gold Coast, and to attempting to murder him in January 2017.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Martin Burns formally acquitted Crabtree and discharged her from the dock, telling the jury they had made an "enormous contribution" to society after a very difficult period deliberating.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/mum-cleared-of-murdering-son-with-druglaced-smoothie/0888a515-f929-4c44-b300-3a1fe4d2f1df" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You have my thanks and thanks of the court and the community," Burns said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During the 19‑day trial, jurors heard competing claims that Crabtree either killed her son for financial and personal motives or was being falsely accused as part of a revenge plot by her daughter.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Defence barrister Angus Edwards had argued there were three other possibilities for Jonathan's death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He died of a drug overdose. We know that. He was a drug addict. Was it a suicide or accidental overdose?" Edwards told the jury in his closing address.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-much-will-the-rba-interest-rate-hike-cost-you/6568da42-5c43-4c97-a70d-79d03330cfc5" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>How much will the RBA interest rate hike cost you</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The court heard Jonathan had tried to take his own life multiple times using different methods over several years, and his mental health deteriorated after he suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car crash.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He later became violent toward his mother and sister Tara, with Edwards arguing that could have led Tara to kill him and frame her mother so she could take sole possession of their family home.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Jonathan had a lot of demons. If he was a good person, he wasn't any more," Edwards said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In pre-recorded evidence, Tara said she watched the hallway and kitchen while her mother crushed prescription painkillers and anti‑anxiety tablets as Jonathan lay passed out in bed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Crown prosecutor Caroline Marco alleged Crabtree wanted Jonathan dead because she feared losing the family home in a lawsuit brought by a woman affected by his robbery of a pharmacy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/farrer-byelection-2026-results-barnaby-joyce-one-nation-looking-ahead-after-historic-win/bd333a9d-2693-45f9-aeae-bfab0da6247e" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Barnaby Joyce, One Nation looking ahead after historic by-election win</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jonathan partly owned the house and, as a violent drug addict with a traumatic brain injury, could not easily be evicted, the jury was told.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The court heard Crabtree told a neighbour: "I wish Jonathan had died in the car accident. I wish he was dead."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Edwards said the remarks had been taken out of context.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jurors were told Crabtree had stockpiled Tara's oxycodone medication and Jonathan was found dead in his bedroom with no signs of the painkiller around his body.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The court heard Crabtree allegedly told Tara not to help Jonathan if she heard him struggling after drinking the drug‑laced smoothie, and to tell police it was a suicide.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tara waited two‑and‑a‑half years before changing her account to police, saying she was angry at being confined in hospital for seven months.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She has been granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for her testimony.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue. In the event of an emergency dial Triple Zero (000).</span></strong></div></div>