A Victorian woman who cooked the meal that resulted in the suspected mushroom poisoning death of three people has tearfully broken her silence.
Video / News.com.au
Ian Wilkinson attended the meal on July 29 with his wife Heather, joining host and chef Erin Patterson and her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson.
Only Erin Patterson and Ian Wilkinson survived, the latter after a months-long battle in hospital that saw his community join together in support and prayer for the much-loved pastor.
The homicide squad is investigating the deaths, believed to have been caused by death cap mushrooms served with a beef Wellington, and Wilkinson’s recovery could represent a breakthrough for police, the Herald Sun reports.
In a statement, the Wilkinson family thanked the medical staff and wider community and asked for privacy as Ian Wilkison goes through a period of “transition and healing.
“This milestone marks a moment of immense relief and gratitude for Ian and the entire Wilkinson family,” they wrote.
Heather Wilkinson and pastor Ian Wilkinson. Photo / Supplied
“The Wilkinson family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the Leongatha, Dandenong and Austin Hospitals for their unwavering dedication and exceptional care that played a pivotal role in Ian’s recovery. The medical team’s expertise and compassion have been a source of comfort and hope throughout this journey.
“The family is profoundly grateful for the outpouring of support, prayers, and well-wishes from the Korumburra community, church, friends, family, and colleagues.
”This collective kindness has been a pillar of strength for Ian and the family, reinforcing the sense of unity and compassion that defines our community.”
There has been intense media focus on Erin Patterson since news broke of the mushroom poisoning but she has denied deliberately feeding the toxic fungi to her guests, claiming she bought them from an Asian grocery store.
“I’m devastated, I loved them,” Patterson said in a video interview in the days after the story broke,
“I can’t believe this has happened and I’m so sorry that they have lost their lives.
“I just can’t believe it.”
Erin Patterson’s ex-husband Simon had been invited to the lunch but did not attend.
While police have only said Erin Patterson is a person of interest and haven’t suggested she tried intentionally poisoning her in-laws, experienced psychologist Tim Watson-Munro said there are a number of bizarre elements that need to be investigated.
Speaking to The Australian, Watson-Munro, who has worked on catching some of Australia’s biggest criminal offenders, stated: “I’m not a big believer in coincidences”.
‘Wilfully poisoned or just bad luck’
Simon Patterson spent 21 days in intensive care in 2022 after collapsing from a mystery stomach illness at his home, where his friends and family were told to come to say goodbye in case he died.
The Herald Sun reported a family friend said Simon felt “a bit off” and his illnesses “often coincided [with] when he spent time with her [Erin]”.
In a police statement regarding July’s deaths, Erin Patterson also questioned herself as to whether she poisoned Simon’s parents and aunty.
“Obviously, he was either wilfully poisoned or it was just bad luck,” Watson-Munro told The Australian.
Watson-Munro isn’t convinced by Erin Patterson’s statement in which she claimed she purchased the mushrooms at an unnamed Asian supermarket.
Erin Patterson’s ex-husband Simon Patterson posted on Facebook in 2022 that he nearly died from stomach issues and was in a coma for weeks. Photo / 7 News
In his view, he believes her claim sounds “ludicrous” because death cap mushrooms are not commercial products.
He said: “People just don’t retail them. It’s not that loose.”
Erin Patterson revealed in a follow-up statement to police that her children were not present at the lunch, despite initial reports they were.
She now claims she was at the hospital with her children “discussing the food dehydrator” when her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, asked: “Is that what you used to poison them?”
