Mum accused of killing son with smoothie: Traces of drugs found in blender, court hears

Traces of drugs were allegedly found in a blender that a woman accused of murdering her son allegedly used in making a lethal fruit smoothie, a court has heard.

Maree Crabtree leaves the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Traces of drugs were allegedly found in a blender that a woman accused of murdering her son allegedly used in making a lethal fruit smoothie, a court has heard.

Gold Coast mother Maree Mavis Crabtree is accused of murdering her son Jonathan and daughter Erin on separate occasions more than six years ago.

Crabtree’s trial for Jonathan’s murder began last month but was adjourned for days after new evidence came to light, prompting a successful mistrial application. In granting the mistrial, Justice Peter Davis took a wider aim at the future of the criminal charges relating to both Jonathan and Erin.

Justice Davis said the police found no remnants of the summer fruits allegedly used in the lethal smoothie during an exhaustive search of the house, and that the type of drugs which Crabtee’s other child Tara alleged Jonathan was poisoned with were contradicted by the scientific evidence.

Maree Crabtree and son Jonathan Crabtree, who she is accused of killing.

At a mention of the murder charge relating to Johnathan on Monday in Brisbane’s Supreme Court the crown asked for an adjournment to consider its position.

Crown prosecutor Philip McCarthy KC said after a prolonged period police had decided to have the blender analysed and found traces of oxycodone, quetiapine and diazepam.

The court heard this was relevant to Tara’s evidence that different drugs had allegedly been placed in the smoothie.

Jonathan Crabtree.

“The presence of those items is relevant to whether or not there is in fact any corroboration in any sense of Ms Tara Crabtree’s allegation that her mother had placed those medications in a blender smoothie,” Mr McCarthy said

Mr McCarthy said he would be seeking a range of continuity statements from police and disclosing these to defence.

He sought a two-month adjournment which was consented to by defence.

Crabtree, who is on bail, was present in court.

The matter was adjourned to May 13.

Originally published as Mum accused of killing son with smoothie: Traces of drugs found in blender, court hears