Alleged killer mum joked about kids’ mental capacity, neighbour tells court
Neighbours say a mum charged with murdering her kids joked about their mental capacity and told countless lies, a court has heard.
A Gold Coast mum accused of murdering her adult children has been lashed as a “pathological liar” by a neighbour giving evidence at her committal hearing in Brisbane.
Another witness told the court she had heard Maree Mavis Crabtree joking about getting life insurance for her kids because “they were r....ds”.
Ms Crabtree is accused of murdering her children Erin and Jonathan on separate dates in 2012 and 2017.
It is alleged the Gold Coast mum plied the pair with prescription medication to keep them bedridden and claim benefits, as well as claiming insurance payouts following their deaths.
On Friday, Brisbane Magistrates Court heard the family left for a cruise on September 4, 2012.
Erin, 18, was found dead at the family home in Maudsland three days later.
One of Ms Crabtree’s neighbours, Leicia Natana, said nothing seemed unusual about the house when she walked past in the days leading up to the 18-year-old’s death.
Ms Natana had spent time walking with Ms Crabtree, the court heard.
Erin and another family member would join the pair and Jonathan, 26, regularly attended the same gym.
Ms Natana described Ms Crabtree as someone who “lied pathologically” and contradicted herself.
“It was confusing, one lie would lead to another lie and you would be very confused as to what you were hearing,” she told the court.
About two weeks before the planned family cruise, Ms Natana said Ms Crabtree told her Erin would not be coming because she was “traumatised” after seeing the movie Titanic.
The court heard Ms Natana was told a carer was going to look after Erin in the family’s absence and was “totally, 100 per cent confident” someone had been organised.
“I had no reason to believe there was no carer,” she said.
Kelly Phillips, who lived a few doors down from the family, said Ms Crabtree had made off-colour jokes about her children’s mental capacity.
Defence barrister Angus Edwards asked her if Ms Crabtree had referred to her children as “r*****s” and made quips about getting life insurance for them.
“Yes, a couple of times … she would laugh,” Ms Phillips replied.
Other witnesses told the court a 24hr carer had been organised and Jonathan’s then-girlfriend would act as a backup in case things did not work out.
Another neighbour, Sharon Robinson, said she had a conversation with Ms Crabtree about caring plans for her daughter about a week before they went on the cruise, but Ms Crabtree did not reveal any details.
Defence barrister Angus Edwards asked Ms Robinson about a pink sheet that covered the front door of the Crabtree’s family home but she said she did not notice anything.
“It would have had to have been something outstanding for me to have taken notice,” Ms Robinson said.
The committal hearing will determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial in a higher court.
The court has previously heard witness testimony that Jonathan had little control over his life and lived in fear of his mother.
The 26-year-old was involved in a serious crash in 2015 and later told friends he deliberately caused the accident, the court heard.
On Thursday, a former neighbour of Ms Crabtree’s told the court the mother wanted to “put something” in Jonathan’s syringe after she caught him using his sister’s medication.
Ms Crabtree is facing eight charges of obtaining a financial benefit by deception, and 11 other charges including torture, murder, attempted murder, fraud and robbery.
The hearing continues.