Maree Crabtree: Trial date set for mum accused of murdering kids

A Gold Coast mum accused of killing her adult children will face trial in a matter of months.

Maree Mavis Crabtree.

A Gold Coast mum who has been on remand for more than five years over the alleged murders of two of her children will face trial in January.

Maree Mavis Crabtree, 56, of Maudsland appeared in Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday, March 2 for a pre-trial hearing.

She stands accused of murdering her 18-year-old daughter Erin in 2012 and her 26-year-old son Jonathan in 2017.

Erin and Jonathan Crabtree.

Police have previously alleged Crabtree gave Erin a fatal overdose of drugs before leaving her to go on a cruise with Jonathan.

It is also alleged she used medication to keep her children bedridden and claim disability payments, and that she claimed insurance after their deaths which were initially considered suicides.

Crabtree is charged with two counts of murder, one of attempted murder, one of torture, two of fraud, and four of attempted fraud.

Justice Peter Davis listed the four-week trial to start on January 29, with a pre-trial mention on August 28 and hearing on October 16.