An Australian woman has been accused of fatally poisoning her former in-laws with a toxic mushroom after she served them a meal and was the only one who didn’t get sick.
Erin Patterson, who lives in Victoria, Australia, hosted former parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, on Saturday July 29. Also at the lunch was Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, and her husband Reverend Ian Wilkinson, 68.
Erin has been separated from her husband Simon – the son of Don and Gail – for 12 months. Despite the split, it’s been said that the former couple had an “amicable” relationship.
Death by toxic mushroom: What happened to Australian woman’s in-laws?
Allegations made on Sky News claimed that the meals contained poisonous mushrooms, causing the in-laws to feel unwell by midnight that evening.
Gail and her sister Heather died a week after the lunch on Friday August 4, while Gail’s husband Don died the day after on Saturday August 5. Heather’s husband Reverend Wilkinson is still fighting for his life in hospital and awaiting a liver transplant.
I just can’t fathom what has happened. I’m so sorry that they have lost their lives. I just can’t believe it.
In addition to this, Erin’s two children were also at the lunch, but were served different meals. As a “precaution”, the two have been taken into state care. Although the police took Erin in for interview, she has since been released without charge.
Erin Patterson denies accusations
Speaking to press outside her home, Erin denied any wrongdoing to her former in-laws. The mother also expressed her sadness over their deaths and stated that they were “some of the best people I’ve ever met”.
She said: “The loss to the community and to the families and my own children who have lost their grandmother… I just can’t fathom what has happened. I’m so sorry that they have lost their lives. I just can’t believe it. I didn’t do anything, I love them and I’m devastated they are gone.”
In a statement, Victoria Police Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said: “At this point in time, the deaths are unexplained. It could be very innocent, but we just don’t know.”
He also said that the type of mushrooms the guests were given was unclear, but their symptoms aligned with those from death cap mushrooms.
It’s thought the dish that was served at the lunch was a beef wellington pie, containing what appears to have been the deadly mushrooms.
Police said Erin remains a suspect because she had cooked the meal at her home but did not become ill. However, they urged people not to speculate about the case, because it could turn out to be “very innocent”.
According to Associated Press, Erin’s home was searched by detectives on Saturday August 5. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper also reported that forensic tests were being done to a food dehydrator that was found nearby in a landfill.
What is a death cap mushroom?
A death cap mushroom is the world’s most toxic mushroom and is responsible for about 90% of mushroom-related deaths globally. Its main toxin is α-Amanitin. It cannot be destroyed by cooking or drying, and can result in liver and kidney failure.
In its early growth stages, death caps have a white creamy colour that can resemble edible straw mushrooms. They typically grow under oak trees and are found in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, but rarely in other states.
Residents of the rural Victorian town of Korumburra, where the family lived, are now said to be in mourning as the case continues.
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Gabrielle Rockson
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