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
The lunch that left three people dead and another fighting for his life after suspected mushroom poisoning was reportedly held as Erin Patterson wanted to reconcile with her ex-husband Simon Patterson, it is claimed.
Erin Patterson cooked a beef wellington pie for lunch at her home in Leongatha in Victoria on July 29.
Erin’s ex-in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson died after suffering symptoms consistent with poisoning by death cap mushroom.
Now it is claimed she arranged the meal with her in-laws and ex-husband in an effort to try and negotiate a reconciliation, according to the Daily Mail.
A source close to the family has claimed Erin Patterson tried to poison her ex-husband Simon Patterson in 2022. Simon revealed he was in a coma after a mystery stomach illness.
Simon was invited to the meal but pulled out at the last minute.
A friend of Simon told Australian media he had no interest in getting back with Erin.
“They went to her house for a mediation to talk to the family. Simon was supposed to go there for lunch but he pulled out in the last minute otherwise he would be in that death bed too,” the friend said.
The friend also claimed that Simon’s family only attended the lunch because there were worried about Erin’s “mental state”.
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
They wanted to “make sure she was in the right mental health to resume a relationship with Simon”.
“This wasn’t just a lunch, it was an intervention with the pastor as mediator. That’s why this lunch happened,” the friend said.
However, Simon’s mum, dad, and his aunty all died following the meal. Heather’s husband Ian is still in a critical condition and needs a liver transplant.
Neither Erin and her two children, who she shares with Simon, became ill after the lunch.
Erin is now under investigation.
Erin Patterson was visibly emotional during her brief appearance.
According to 7News, she initially told police during her interview that she picked up the mushrooms from a local shop in the Leongatha area.
However, so far there has been no recall or any warnings given for any locally-purchased produce, according to 7 News Australia, raising suspicions over the information Erin had originally given police.
Police have spoken to Erin Patterson and confirmed she is being investigated, but have said she could be “very innocent”, news.com.au reported.
“The 48-year-old is [a suspect] because she cooked those meals for those present. She hasn’t presented with any symptoms,” Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said.
“We have to keep an open mind. It could be very innocent, but we just don’t know at this point”.
Erin also broke her silence on Monday, maintaining her innocence and claiming she loved her ex in-laws.
“I’m devastated, I loved them,” she said, appearing to be highly distressed.
“I can’t believe this has happened and I’m so sorry that they have lost their lives.
“I just can’t believe it.”
Don Patterson and Gail Patterson, Erin's former parents in law, died after following a suspected mushroom poisoning. Photo / Supplied
Heather Wilkinson and pastor Ian Wilkinson. Photo / Supplied
The latest revelation comes as a food dehydrator was reportedly found at the local rubbish tip. It is now being tested by police to see if it is linked to the incident.
Veteran crime writer John Silvester, who has authored a number of best-selling books on crime in Melbourne, said he found one key element of the tragedy “slightly curious”.
“We’ve got the dehydrator from the house that was apparently found in the tip,” he told 3AW radio.
“It’s been reported the dehydrator was disposed of the day after the luncheon, which is slightly curious because the people had just presented to hospital with gastro-like symptoms.”
“I don’t think anybody at that point would be calling it a poisoning. People had got a bit crook.
“That’ll have to be tested to see whether or not it was operational, had it been tampered with, was it replaced or were there any remains within the dehydrator of death cap mushrooms.”
Asked by A Current Affair for comment on police treating her as a suspect in the deaths, Patterson responded: “I didn’t do anything. I loved them and I’m devastated that they’re gone.”
She then confused her dead father-in-law with pastor Ian Wilkinson, saying: “I hope with every fibre of my being that Don pulls through.”
