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An Australian woman, Erin Patterson, who accidentally cooked a beef wellington with poisonous mushrooms, resulting in the death of three relatives and leaving one critical, has provided a statement to the police. Ms. Patterson, who is not facing charges, expressed her devastation and innocence in her statement. The victims had consumed death cap mushrooms, which are highly lethal. The incident occurred during a lunch held in Ms. Patterson’s home in Leongatha, Victoria. The investigation has captivated Australia as the mystery surrounding the fatal meal unfolds. Ms. Patterson’s statement to the police revealed that she had used dried mushrooms unknowingly, believing them to be safe. She emphasized her love for her deceased relatives and denied any ill intentions. accident-says-100549844.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Nicholas Yong – BBC News reported
An Australian woman, Erin Patterson, who unintentionally cooked a beef wellington using poisonous mushrooms, resulting in the deaths of three family members and leaving one critically ill, has informed the police that it was an accident. Although not facing any charges, Patterson has provided a detailed account of the events to the authorities. It is believed by the police that the victims consumed death cap mushrooms, which are highly lethal when ingested. In her statement, Patterson expressed her devastation upon realizing that these mushrooms may have caused her loved ones’ illness, emphasizing that she had no intention of causing harm. While Patterson’s statement to Victoria Police has not been publicly released, it has been reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Nine Newspapers.
The fatal lunch, which took place on July 29th, has left Australia captivated by the mystery surrounding it. The gathering occurred at Patterson’s residence in the small town of Leongatha, Victoria. Patterson had invited her former in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, as well as Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson and her husband Ian. Unfortunately, Patterson’s estranged husband could not attend at the last minute. Shortly after the meal, all four guests fell ill, initially suspecting severe food poisoning. However, within days, Heather (66), Gail (70), and Don (70) tragically passed away, while Ian (68) remains in critical condition, awaiting a liver transplant at a Melbourne hospital.
Initially, Patterson became a suspect in the investigation due to the fact that she and her children appeared unharmed after the meal. However, Australian police had acknowledged the possibility of her innocence. In her recently reported statement, Patterson reiterated her innocence, revealing that she had been hospitalized herself following the meal due to stomach pains.
Outside her home, immediately after the incident, Patterson had stated her innocence but refrained from answering questions regarding the specific meals served to each guest or the origin of the mushrooms. In her statement to the police, she expressed regret for not answering these questions, as advised by her lawyer, given the distressing ordeal she has been going through. Patterson now seeks to set the record straight, feeling overwhelmed by the deaths of her loved ones.
Patterson explained that the mushrooms used in the meal consisted of both button mushrooms purchased from a supermarket and dried mushrooms bought several months ago from an Asian grocery store in Melbourne. Although her children did not join the lunch, they consumed some leftover beef Wellington the following day, albeit with the mushrooms scraped off, as they dislike fungi. Patterson also disclosed that she was hospitalized on July 31st, receiving a saline drip and medication to protect her liver.
Furthermore, she admitted to having lied to the authorities about a food dehydrator that was seized by the police from a local tip during the investigation. Patterson explained that she disposed of the dehydrator out of panic and concern that she might lose custody of her children after being questioned by her estranged husband regarding the possibility of her poisoning his parents.
In an effort to ensure transparency, Patterson preserved the remaining lunch and handed it over to hospital toxicologists for examination..
