Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #2

[ch_13]

Excellent points!
I have been discussing with medical partner just how she could have faked her illness. But seemed to recall somewhere in the media, that she presented to a hospital in Gippsland and was then transferred by ambulance to a Melbourne Hospital. Maybe this is either fanciful thinking or media misreporting. Also my guess.

By this time, the hospital would have known that the other guests at the lunch were deathly ill so it stands to reason that they would have been extra careful in treating Erin. According to her own statement they gave her an IV and a "liver protective drug". But everyone in the ER gets fluids and the drug was probably just precautionary.

It doesn't seem like the hospital did anything more that the basics. They apparently never admitted her for overnight observation, which you would think they would do if there was any serious concern about her health.

 

[JBowie]

In her media statement yesterday,

For the record, it wasn't a media statement.

In a written statement sent to Victoria Police on Friday – and obtained exclusively by the ABC –

Woman who cooked suspected poisoned meal details where she bought mushrooms

The woman who cooked a meal that is believed to have contained poisonous mushrooms and led to the deaths of three people gives a lengthy written statement to police detailing her account of what happened, and revealing she was hospitalised after the incident.

www.abc.net.au

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Victoria Police’s homicide squad, which is investigating the case, urged people to stay away from wild mushrooms and only eat those that are available at supermarkets as they tried to work out the details of the case.

But Patterson claims she bought dried mushrooms from an Asian grocer in Melbourne months ago and button mushrooms from a supermarket chain more recently.

She said both sets of mushrooms were used in a beef wellington that she cooked and served in the family lunch, ABC reported citing Patterson’s statement.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/15/australia/australia-poison-mushroom-statement-intl-hnk/index.html

 

[Mrs G Norris]

According to the article, the creepy "death-themed" graffiti was done by the teenage daughter.

Not that surprising to me if a kid that age goes through a phase like that, being rebellious or trying to get a reaction out of the parents/ other adults.

Especially if surrounded by people who are very religious.

Parents may have allowed her to write/draw on the walls at home so she would be less tempted to vandalize the school or other public places.

In the movie I’m having Erin do the graffiti then blame it on her teenage daughter to the tradies to save face ..

 

[kittythehare]

I would have believed in her innocence, but her husband's last year illness looks suspicious. He spent 21 day in ICU, was in a coma. It is as if someone meant business.

They were not living together at the time, they separated formally in '21 and had lived apart for years prior.

 

[kittythehare]

Everybody brought a dish to that meal.
What did the others bring?

Watch: Crime reporter Chris Vedelago reveals details of Erin Patterson’s statement to police

In her statement to Victoria Police, Erin Patterson claimed she had panicked and dumped a food dehydrator after people began accusing her of intentionally poisoning the meal. She also reveals what she cooked and who ate what.

www.watoday.com.au

 

[JBowie]

[bbm]

As her guests fell critically ill, Ms Patterson said she was contacted by the Department of Health and asked what might have caused the violent reaction to the meal.

She said she preserved what was left of the lunch and gave it to hospital toxicologists for examination. She said she told investigators from the department where she had bought the mushrooms – although was unable to identify the specific shop in Melbourne where she bought the dried fungi.

Ms Patterson said officials from the Department later sent her photographs of packs of mushrooms with hand-written labels, similar to those she described to them.

I would guess by now those toxicologists would have determined the toxin involved.

She says that she gave leftovers (scraped of mushrooms) to her children.

It's reported elsewhere that she also gave samples to police. I'm now wondering how much of the original meal was left over.

Woman who cooked suspected poisoned meal details where she bought mushrooms

The woman who cooked a meal that is believed to have contained poisonous mushrooms and led to the deaths of three people gives a lengthy written statement to police detailing her account of what happened, and revealing she was hospitalised after the incident.

www.abc.net.au

 

[kittythehare]

It blows my mind that she was feeding any part of that meal to her children after all her guests got sick.

We don't know she was aware of the sickness when she fed her children, do we?
When did she learn of it?

 

[kittythehare]

According to the article, the creepy "death-themed" graffiti was done by the teenage daughter.

Not that surprising to me if a kid that age goes through a phase like that, being rebellious or trying to get a reaction out of the parents/ other adults.

Especially if surrounded by people who are very religious.

Parents may have allowed her to write/draw on the walls at home so she would be less tempted to vandalize the school or other public places.

Reads like death metal to me. A musical genre.

edit to add images link death metal album cover, 'you will die tomorrow' - Google Search

 

[JBowie]

What to make of this? I have no idea ..

‘Creepy find in home where Australia's mushroom poisoning took place’

Creepy find in home where Australia's mushroom poisoning took place

The tradesman, who does not wish to named, said he was in talks with Nine's A Current Affair to display the photo.

Sounds like a case of 'show me the money!'

 

[JBowie]

We don't know she was aware of the sickness when she fed her children, do we?
When did she learn of it?

MUSHROOM POISONING: A TIMELINE OF EVENTS (Daily Mail)
Saturday, July 29

Don and Gail Patterson and Heather and Ian Wilkinson (a pastor) gather at Erin Patterson's home in Leongatha, north-east of Melbourne, for lunch and east her beef wellington

Erin's two children go to the movies

Sunday, July 30

Erin's children eat leftover beef wellington but with the mushrooms scraped off.

All four lunch guests present to hospital feeling ill. It is initially thought they have gastro.

As their condition deteriorates, they are transferred to hospitals in Melbourne.

Erin also goes to hospital.

Monday, July 31

Erin is transferred to a hospital in Melbourne, where she is treated for poisoning

Friday, August 4

Gail and Heather die in hospital.

Police find Erin's food dehydrator dumped at a tip

Saturday, August 5

Don dies in hospital. Police search Erin Patterson's home in Leongatha and seize a number of items.

Sunday, August 6

Police are seen returning to Erin's home to question her. She is heard wailing loudly from inside the house before the four officers leave.

Monday, August 7

Victoria Police Detective Inspector for the Homicide Squad, Dean Thomas, confirms Erin is being treated as a person of interest in the case.

However, he says the investigation is still in its early stages and it is yet to be determined if the deaths are suspicious.

A short time later, Erin breaks her silence and speaks to reporters outside the home. She says she is devastated and 'loves' the four relatives who came to her home. She denies any wrongdoing but does not answer questions where the mushrooms came from, who picked them or what meal she made for her guests.

Tuesday, August 8

In a bizarre twist, Simon Patterson was revealed to have suffered from a mysterious Stomach illness in June, 2022. He fell into a coma and was in ICU for 21 days. His case is yet to be explained by doctors.

Forensic testing is underway to find any traces of death cap mushroom on the food dehydrator. Police believe it was used during preparation of the meal.

Wednesday, August 9

Daily Mail Australia reveals that Simon Patterson was expected to attend the lunch, but pulled out at the last minute

Thursday, August 10

Erin Patterson tells reporters she is driving to Melbourne to see her lawyers. A representative from the legal firm later arrives at her house to hand deliver a letter, but she is not home.

Friday August 11

Erin Patterson provides a lengthy written statement to police

The creepy find in home of suspected mushroom poisoning cook

A tradesman claims he took a photo of a so-called 'death wall' covered in macabre and satanic scrawled images inside the house of suspected poison mushroom cook Erin Patterson.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[LadyL]

The tradesman, who does not wish to named, said he was in talks with Nine's A Current Affair to display the photo.

Sounds like a case of 'show me the money!'

What was the interior wall made of that they couldn't just paint over it, it had to be removed? Very strange.

 

[kittythehare]

The tradesman, who does not wish to named, said he was in talks with Nine's A Current Affair to display the photo.

Sounds like a case of 'show me the money!'

I will die tomorrow..., by No Point in Living

6 track album

npiljp.bandcamp.com

I hope they pay him, serve them right for not checking first..
nothin' as strange as people..

 

[kiwi50]

What to make of this? I have no idea ..

‘Creepy find in home where Australia's mushroom poisoning took place’

Creepy find in home where Australia's mushroom poisoning took place

That certainly is creepy. Dont imagine many parents would let their kids draw on the wall, unless a toddler got hold of some crayons!

 

[Eloise]

Reads like death metal to me. A musical genre.

edit to add images link death metal album cover, 'you will die tomorrow' - Google Search

I know lots of people who listen to death metal. None would do that to their own wall! Especially not a dining room wall!

 

[LadyL]

She made Beef Wellington Pies which are all separate serves. My thinking is the Death Caps went into the guests pies and she made one for herself with the button mushrooms. How she thought she could get away with this is beyond me, she didn’t even have a credible story to tell police. Maybe she just thought they would get sick and not actually die?

I wonder if police are looking into other unexplained illnesses / deaths of people she was connected to?

Yes they need to investigate her entire life IMO.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"This fungus (death caps) only grow in the wild," the association said in a statement.

"Commercial mushrooms are grown indoors in environmentally controlled rooms with strict hygiene protocols and food safety standards.

"The only mushrooms you can be sure are safe are fresh, Australian-grown mushrooms bought from a trusted retailer."

There have been no ordered recalls of mushroom products in the state since the suspected poisonings.

Growers SLAM cook’s claim poison mushies came from store

The Australian Mushroom Growers Association has reminded consumers that commercially grown mushrooms are not dangerous, after the deaths of three Victorians.

www.perthnow.com.au

 

[kittythehare]

I know lots of people who listen to death metal. None would do that to their own wall! Especially not a dining room wall!

It happens.
I'm a big death metal fan which doesn't extend to my home decor but many people love and embrace it

https://www.pinterest.ie/fever_dreemz/heavy-metal-punk-decor/

 

[JBowie]

I will die tomorrow..., by No Point in Living

6 track album

npiljp.bandcamp.com

I hope they pay him, serve them right for not checking first..
nothin' as strange as people..

If he does get paid then perhaps he could consider donating the money to help the poor guy fighting to stay alive needing liver and possibly also kidney transplants.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

'She said they were a handwritten, white label and we have never sold that,' he said.

Around the corner, Daily Mail Australia was provided similar answers from both the East Mart and 28 Mart.

East Mart did not even sell dried mushrooms, with the shopkeeper - via use of Google Translate - showing his fridge stocked with only fresh or frozen mushrooms.

28 Mart's dried mushroom products were all neatly labelled, with that shopkeeper also disputing claims poisonous dried mushrooms had been sold in Mount Waverley.

'I sell dried mushrooms, do you want to try?' the shopkeeper asked.

Asian grocers deny deadly cook 'bought' fatal fungi from their shops

Asian grocers selling mushrooms in the region that supposedly sold the killer fungi to stay-at-home-mum Erin Patterson deny they are responsible for three deaths.

www.dailymail.co.uk