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

[jjenny]

(paraphrased)

At least two mycologists from the Royal Botanic Gardens - ones who study the genetic and biochemical make-up of fungi - are working with VICPOL to confirm the toxin.

They have been asked not to discuss the case, as they may be needed to give evidence at a criminal trial.

However, one mycologist who used to work at the Royal Botanic Gardens explained their usual identification process.

She said they could examine fragments of specimens from the meal, or from mushroom samples in the vomit or diarrhoea from the patients at the hospital.
And that the symptoms, and timing of the symptoms, can also narrow down the toxin.
Also, if the police ordered fast-tracking of forensic analysis, the RBG mycologists can help to interpret the analysis results.

The tests for poisons usually are not straightforward and easy. Police themselves are certainly no experts on poison identification. So it's not surprising experts are asked to assist police.

 

[kittythehare]

How do you de-hydrate something by putting it in a liquid? Are you maybe re-hydrating them?

rehydrate is the word I should have used. yes, in liquid for a period of time and in a liquid as per specific recipe.. all different.

 

[SMK777]

Victims' Activities Before Lunch. No Need to Trace?

snipped for focus. @SMK777
Respectfully disagreeing about no need to trace.

If LE does no tracing, def. atty may trace and learn circumstances which could lead to reasonable doubt re guilt.
For ex., what if def. atty/barrister uncovered evd. showing, that on a.m. of lunch day (or day before) at a communal meal, all four victims had ingested a food which commonly causes food poisoning?
Perhaps a cause the hosp(s) did not test for?

Not saying this likely happened but may be a possibility & argument the prosecutor should prepare for.

If the person's actions were reckless or intentional, I hope whoever is charged w the homicides & poisoning is convicted.
imo

Fair enough.

 

[SMK777]

How do you de-hydrate something by putting it in a liquid? Are you maybe re-hydrating them?

My question exactly. Soaking in water REhydrates. It certainly can’t possibly dehydrate anything.

 

[kittythehare]

Are you able to summarize what's in that article? It's subscription based.

no, i don't have a sub.

 

[Seni]

Just love your reply and good to see you again!

Never eat or use paté! My beef wellingtons are made with very fresh mushrooms, cream and lots of parsley and a drop of dry sherry.

Also known as Salsa Casanova.

 

[Forest_Wood]

I wonder why the children were not sent to live with the father. Why would they send them to live with strangers instead of a trusted family member. It must be very traumatic for them. IMO.

 

[Ellery84]

I believe it was reported she had some mushrooms stored in a cabinet.

Where was that reported, Forest? I’ve not come across that detail.

 

[Ellery84]

I wonder why the children were not sent to live with the father. Why would they send them to live with strangers instead of a trusted family member. It must be very traumatic for them. IMO.

Maybe the police have a list of persons on interest and they are trying to rule them out. **I don’t mean that the children are POI’s**

I’m not sure how many POI’s they have, or who is on that list.

Maybe the police and dept of child safety want the children staying with a person who is not on the POI list.

Jmo

 

[Forest_Wood]

Where was that reported, Forest? I’ve not come across that detail.

It was in one of the articles I read. I'm sorry I don't recall which one. I recall reading that the package of mushrooms had been in a cupboard or cabinet. If I can find it again, I'll post it.

 

[RickshawFan]

Just love your reply and good to see you again!

Never eat or use paté! My beef wellingtons are made with very fresh mushrooms, cream and lots of parsley and a drop of dry sherry.

Also known as Salsa Casanova.

Oooh...tasty. As for sherry dob Salsa Casanova, that's genius.

 

[Forest_Wood]

Maybe the police have a list of persons on interest and they are trying to rule them out. **I don’t mean that the children are POI’s**

I’m not sure how many POI’s they have, or who is on that list.

Maybe the police and dept of child safety want the children staying with a person who is not on the POI list.

Jmo

Very good point! They likely have more than one POI.

 

[kittythehare]

New twist in fatal mushroom lunch investigation

Experts have been called in to help detectives identify the toxin in a meal potentially laced with a deadly mushroom that killed three family members late last month.

www.skynews.com.au

 

[SMK777]

Very good point! They likely have more than one POI.

Why have they named only EP?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

For those who say why hire a lawyer if it was just a terrible mistake, these days there are no mistakes in anything, car accidents or whatever.

Even if it was just a terrible mistake, there could be charges of manslaughter.

Also like some other countries we're going the way of civil lawsuits.

There always has to be someone at fault, accident or not. No leeway is given these days.

The worst is always thought of someone in all cases.

I have a feeling when she first spoke to the press she didn't have a lawyer because she thought she didn't need one.

Ok another lie you say. I say it's a part of being human. How many of us have always told the literal truth especially at stressful times.

I think she did lie about having a lot of friends and I feel like she seems quite a private person.
I think the children may be her entire world and now she finds herself totally alone.

I don't see any of her family coming forward to support her in any way.

There was one person who said something in her defense but I don't think that's the line the press wants to go with.


Proving that it happened at the meal is a whole other thing.

Hopefully the mushroom experts can help in some way to determine if it was or if it wasn't mushrooms.

You can't just arrest someone because you don't like the way they acted while being grilled by the press, or they don't act the way you "think they should". Or whether you saw tears or not.

 

[kittythehare]

For those who say why hire a lawyer if it was just a terrible mistake, these days there are no mistakes in anything, car accidents or whatever.

Even if it was just a terrible mistake, there could be charges of manslaughter.

Also like some other countries we're going the way of civil lawsuits.

There always has to be someone at fault, accident or not. No leeway is given these days.

The worst is always thought of someone in all cases.

I have a feeling when she first spoke to the press she didn't have a lawyer because she thought she didn't need one.

Ok another lie you say. I say it's a part of being human. How many of us have always told the literal truth especially at stressful times.

I think she did lie about having a lot of friends and I feel like she seems quite a private person.
I think the children may be her entire world and now she finds herself totally alone.

I don't see any of her family coming forward to support her in any way.

There was one person who said something in her defense but I don't think that's the line the press wants to go with.


Proving that it happened at the meal is a whole other thing.

Hopefully the mushroom experts can help in some way to determine if it was or if it wasn't mushrooms.

You can't just arrest someone because you don't like the way they acted while being grilled by the press, or they don't act the way you "think they should". Or whether you saw tears or not.

Media handling of this story is disgusting.
Utterly egregious filth.

 

[jjenny]

Very good point! They likely have more than one POI.

They certainly haven't said so.

 

[kittythehare]

I assume it's because their working hypotheses is that their deaths were due to the lunch they had eaten. Erin cooked that lunch.

They may now be widening the scope , particularly if LAB TESTS FOR DC'S WERE NEGATIVE.

they state they are consulting with mycologists so they're still looking at fungi, apparently.

I do wonder whether it was an entirely different substance.

 

[Forest_Wood]

They certainly haven't said so.

They haven't said much of anything!

 

[jjenny]

I assume it's because their working hypotheses is that their deaths were due to the lunch they had eaten. Erin cooked that lunch.

They may now be widening the scope , particularly if LAB TESTS FOR DC'S WERE NEGATIVE.

they state they are consulting with mycologists so they're still looking at fungi, apparently.

I do wonder whether it was an entirely different substance.

Hospital lab tests don't test for DC. So how could they have been negative? Specialized tests are needed for toxins. Those are not done in the hospital.