Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #4

[LadyL]

I am leaning towards the cook being guilty.

I think she originally planned to kill her ex and his family. I know people say she had no motive--but I think that is something we might not understand, unless we had gone through a divorce.

There is an often a lot of anger, resentment and toxic energy brewing during a divorce. Especially with children involved. Maybe she wanted to be rid of her ex and his family and to start a new life with the kids, with no interference?

Then her ex cancelled and for some odd reason she went ahead with it?

That part puzzles me. But I don't see any other credible explanations for those poisonous mushrooms being in the meals that she cooked.

She fed the mushrooms to her ex-in-laws , but not to her kids or herself? I think that makes it less likely that she was 'set up' by someone. JMO

also I've mentioned this before but there is possible financial motive, if her kids inherit from their grandparents and then the kids inexplicably die - or they live but that's less money she has to spend on them if they have their own college fund etc.

 

[katydid23]

I've suggested the possible scenario of an unknown person tampering with food to "murder" or "frame" Erin. Hence there is reasonable doubt about her guilt. For a prosecution to succeed, the police would need to find some really damning evidence like something noted in her own handwriting.

Or IF they find out her ex was poisoned in the past, and/or if they find out she had reasons to be angry or upset about her in-laws for some reason. JMO

 

[JLZ]

Then that is not technically 'framing' her, if they tampered hoping she would eat them herself. That is more like murder.

But who would do so, besides someone who also loved the children? How could they knew the poison wouldn't end up on the kid's plates as well?

My kids didn't like mushrooms that much either, but if I made spaghetti sauce, or homemade pizza, I'd throw in chopped up mushrooms and they'd get eaten with the sauce.

Suppose there was a good chance of her reuniting with her husband, there might be another partner on her side who objected to that happening, had access to her kitchen and didn't care much about the kids.

 

[JLZ]

Or, maybe she did feed the kids the meal knowing that it was poisoned. There are parents, usually men, who kill their children to punish their escaped spouse.

 

[JLZ]

he didn't bring it up - she was talking with her children and mentioned it and he overheard then made the poisoning comment

But why would he make the connection?

If SP made the comment at all, I am guessing that the dehydrator had already been dumped and the children asked why. And that's where SP came into the conversation.

 

[Kemug]

It seems to me that the kids not being present at the meal may well indicate that the perpetrator was someone who loves them. Which of course no doubt includes every single adult in this case.l

 

[LadyL]

I just keep going back to Occam's Razor. All the speculation about other possible suspects and motives is just too complicated IMO. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck IMO.

 

[katydid23]

Suppose there was a good chance of her reuniting with her husband, there might be another partner on her side who objected to that happening, had access to her kitchen and didn't care much about the kids.

I think LE would know about that, if so. We haven't heard about her having a new love. I tend to doubt it.

 

[katydid23]

It seems to me that the kids not being present at the meal may well indicate that the perpetrator was someone who loves them. Which of course no doubt includes every single adult in this case.l

But the kids mom was the only one that made the decision and the plan, that day, for her kids to be somewhere else. IMO

 

[katydid23]

Or, maybe she did feed the kids the meal knowing that it was poisoned. There are parents, usually men, who kill their children to punish their escaped spouse.

But her kids never got sick, apparently. If they had eaten the food they likely would have since they are smaller and more vulnerable.

They were not at the lunch that day. I doubt they were given leftover beef wellington when they returned that night. JMO

 

[JLZ]

It seems to me that the kids not being present at the meal may well indicate that the perpetrator was someone who loves them. Which of course no doubt includes every single adult in this case.l

I'm seeing the construction "prior to" a lot.

Contrary to initial reports from police, who said Ms Patterson's children were present but did not eat the meal, Ms Patterson said the children had actually gone to the movies prior to lunch.
. . .
Ms Patterson said her estranged husband intended joining the fatal lunch but told her "prior to the day" that he would not be attending.

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

Why so vague? It might have been a 10:15am movie start and the kids were back before lunch.

 

[JLZ]

But her kids never got sick, apparently. If they had eaten the food they likely would have since they are smaller and more vulnerable.

They were not at the lunch that day. I doubt they were given leftover beef wellington when they returned that night. JMO

Yes, of course. Silly of me.

 

[katydid23]

I'm seeing the construction "prior to" a lot.

Contrary to initial reports from police, who said Ms Patterson's children were present but did not eat the meal, Ms Patterson said the children had actually gone to the movies prior to lunch.
. . .
Ms Patterson said her estranged husband intended joining the fatal lunch but told her "prior to the day" that he would not be attending.

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

Why so vague? It might have been a 10:15am movie start and the kids were back before lunch.

Why would you send your kids to the movies when their grandparents and great Aunt were coming to their home for lunch?

That makes no sense to me. I know my in-laws came to our house to see their grandkids, not really about visiting me. I can't imagine sending the kids to the movies right before their grandparents came over for lunch. It's very strange.

 

[Charlot123]

If SP had felt that EP was involved in his unfortunate health issues and suspected she tried to poison him.

Maybe he was retaliating by secretly planting dried tainted mushrooms for her consumption only - not thinking that EP would unsuspectingly use them in the dish to serve his parents and relatives. MOO

I am not sure SP is a gambler. Leaving poison in the house exposes everyone living there, EP, kids, quests, as we see. Isn’t it scary, if you accidentally poison someone else, you might get prosecuted, and these were not even your intended victims?

Plus, most people can weigh risks/benefits and think, isn’t it cheaper to go via legal routes?

I can see two situations when planting into EP’s house can happen:

1) ironically, if a container with something suspicious was left by EP in another house. The recipient doesn’t know what it is, but is suspicious. And probably, angry. They move it to another container/package and leave in EP’s house. No one knows what it is, it is just being returned! If the suspect gets a spoonful of own medicine, case proven. The person returning it is not guilty as they are not sure what it is.

2) the second one - the ability to plan develops at a certain age. Maybe the person can’t plan well.

 

[Ellery84]

Or, maybe she did feed the kids the meal knowing that it was poisoned. There are parents, usually men, who kill their children to punish their escaped spouse.

I think at this stage, anything’s possible. Thank God those children are ok.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Thank you .

Yes, thanks South!

 

[kittythehare]

I just keep going back to Occam's Razor. All the speculation about other possible suspects and motives is just too complicated IMO. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck IMO.

It does not look like a duck, a chicken or a crow right now. It doesn't even look like beef wellington, in fact.'
It looks like nothing.

This is due to the absence of facts.

 

[Ellery84]

Why would you send your kids to the movies when their grandparents and great Aunt were coming to their home for lunch?

This is really something to consider.

Imo none of this looks great for Erin, the POI.

 

[katydid23]

If SP had felt that EP was involved in his unfortunate health issues and suspected she tried to poison him.

Maybe he was retaliating by secretly planting dried tainted mushrooms for her consumption only - not thinking that EP would unsuspectingly use them in the dish to serve his parents and relatives. MOO

True, but I assume he knew his parents and Auntie were headed there for lunch. If so, and if he had given her tainted mushrooms, then maybe he didn't care if they all died?

But what about his kids? People use chopped mushrooms in all kinds of kid friendly foods---cheese omelettes, spaghetti sauce, etc etc...How could he know she wouldn't sneak some mushrooms into the dinner soup or casserole and kill the children?

That would be a very big risk, if you loved your kids.

 

[katydid23]

It does not look like a duck, a chicken or a crow right now. It doesn't even look like beef wellington, in fact.'
It looks like nothing.

This is due to the absence of facts.

We have a lot of information. More than some cases. I wouldn't say it was nothing. JMO