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

[Jess M.]

I initially gave her the benefit of the doubt. Now that a lot more information has come out, I hope she will be arrested and charged soon.

I think we'll see an arrest in the next few days...

 

[Neet_Mc]

I wonder how complex testing something like a food dehydrator is.
And how long it will take.

Same of these forensic things seem to take years. I suppose the fingerprint part would be easy compared to something like DNA, and identifying any food traces.

I wonder if they have her fingerprints. But wouldn't an arrest be needed for that.

I don’t know, but presumably with access to the right equipment and runnings a few tests, 24-48 hours would be ample time. I almost feel like by not divulging this, it gives more time for anyone that may be fabricating a story to slip up further by coming up with more lies or allowing someone to hide more evidence, conduct more internet searches, talk to more people - all of which would be being closely monitored.

 

[Jess M.]

If she is guilty of this it might not be about inheritance. She might just hold a grudge and be completely unhinged.

Oh dear. More is coming out. The husband believes she tried to poison him previously.

If it was just a terrible mistake and so far they haven't said otherwise, could the person who cooked the meal be charged with anything ?

Unless that person was one of those who passed away

Ex-hubby claims mum at centre of mushroom lunch tried to poison him Ex-hubby claims mum at centre of mushroom lunch tried to poison him

 

[Jess M.]

Tik tock...

 

[Cedars]

Oh dear. More is coming out. The husband believes she tried to poison him previously.

I just wish it were a more reliable source than his un-named friend being quoted in DM/Herald Sun. They could totally be making it up, or paying a fake friend who's made it up.

 

[JLZ]

Oh dear. More is coming out. The husband believes she tried to poison him previously.

Ex-hubby claims mum at centre of mushroom lunch tried to poison him Ex-hubby claims mum at centre of mushroom lunch tried to poison him

Simon Patterson believed his ex-wife Erin Patterson had tried to poison him through an 'ingested toxin' from nightshade plants which include potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants, the Herald Sun reports.

I should be dead many times over!

 

[Jess M.]

I just wish it were a more reliable source than his un-named friend being quoted in DM/Herald Sun. They could totally be making it up, or paying a fake friend who's made it up.

I believe it.

 

[Jess M.]

Simon Patterson believed his ex-wife Erin Patterson had tried to poison him through an 'ingested toxin' from nightshade plants which include potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants, the Herald Sun reports.

I should be dead many times over!

If he believed she tried to poison him in the past, why did he let his parents and the others go there for lunch that day?

 

[Neet_Mc]

Simon Patterson believed his ex-wife Erin Patterson had tried to poison him through an 'ingested toxin' from nightshade plants which include potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants, the Herald Sun reports.

I should be dead many times over!

Absolutely no surprises there!!!
I haven’t seen him be physically interviewed on anything, which I think is quite telling. Police are obviously speaking to him and scavenging for cctv is just confirming EP’s whereabouts and version of events - tip, shops, etc. Police will be going through husband’s illness last year and getting details of that.

 

[JLZ]

If he believed she tried to poison him in the past, why did he let his parents and the others go there for lunch that day?

Parents aren't always amenable to control. Especially for reasons like, eggplant! tomatoes! potatoes!!! But why did he agree to go himself and only back out last minute, if he believed she'd tried to poison him in the past?

 

[Dre]

Simon Patterson believed his ex-wife Erin Patterson had tried to poison him through an 'ingested toxin' from nightshade plants which include potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants, the Herald Sun reports.

I should be dead many times over!

Possibly referencing the deadly Belladonna nightshade plant, aka devil’s berries or death cherries.

Australia's most poisonous plants - Australian Geographic

They may seem innocuous, but some plants can be deadly. Here are 9 of the most poisonous plants in Australia.

www.australiangeographic.com.au

 

[kiwi50]

I thought it was unusual for the police to state so early on that it could be a homicide and not an accident and there was a POI.
They seem confident to state that, I think there will be an arrest as soon as tests are completed.
Glad they have removed the children.

 

[JLZ]

I believe they might be referencing the deadly Belladonna nightshade plant, aka devil’s berries

Australia's most poisonous plants - Australian Geographic

They may seem innocuous, but some plants can be deadly. Here are 9 of the most poisonous plants in Australia.

www.australiangeographic.com.au

That's the connection people make when they express fear of eggplant. But if he thought she tried to poison him with belladonna/deadly nightshade, why not say that in so many words? I think he sounds nutty, or something else.

 

[Jess M.]

I thought it was unusual for the police to state so early on that it could be a homicide and not an accident and there was a POI.
They seem confident to state that, I think there will be an arrest as soon as tests are completed.
Glad they have removed the children.

I agree. It's highly unusual for police to do that.

 

[Jess M.]

That's the connection people make when they express fear of eggplant. But if he thought she tried to poison him with belladonna/deadly nightshade, why not say that in so many words? I think he sounds nutty, or something else.

I'd be nutty too if I'd been married to E...

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I was about to buy 1kg of mushrooms tomorrow to make my 'signature dish' - to die for.... Creamy Mushroom Soup

Tonight I'm having second thoughts !!!

had to giggle...
As a lover of many many mushroom varieties, and having a son who is a forager....
I'm having some hesitancy as well.

 

[JLZ]

Absolutely no surprises there!!!
I haven’t seen him be physically interviewed on anything, which I think is quite telling. Police are obviously speaking to him and scavenging for cctv is just confirming EP’s whereabouts and version of events - tip, shops, etc. Police will be going through husband’s illness last year and getting details of that.

I'm not sure if we're on the same page or not. Look, both his parents have just died, in suspicious circumstances which complicates the grief. I support him not speaking to media. I have some other thoughts I'm trying to keep a lid on.

 

[Kemug]

Opinion - guilty
Reasoning:
1) Gippsland local - would be familiar with ‘wild’ mushrooms more so than melbourne metro resident who is less likely to have them growing in backyard. Therefore EP more likely to be familiar with toxic varieties than not.
2) Dehydrating mushrooms would increase toxicity. This is known - any dried fruit for example is sweeter because sugars are concentrated. Same applies for toxins. Wouldnt even require google search.
3) Pulverising / powdering dried mushrooms would enable them to be incorporated into a meal unbeknowingly. Ensure that they are eaten by those who may not be mushroom fans. Would also require less time for digestion because already pulverised, so more instantaneous effect.
4) Disposal of dehydrator. At what point was it established mushrooms were in the meals? Upset stomach symptoms could be from any other ingredient/food contaminant in a meal. If mushrooms were purchased from a shop as EP stated, you would assume they were fine and hence not rush out to dispose of your dehydrator. (Also, a tip visit requires effort, and most people would try put object in their bin first. So tip visit is really gojng an extra mile - or 10 - to distance yourself from the object/hide evidence).
4) Tasting food. As a cook more often than not would ‘sample’ food whilst being cooked. This would result in ingestion of some of the contaminated / laced food. Fact that EP did not become ill, smacks of avoiding the meal during the preparation process all together.
5) Striking similarities with husbands illness in 2022. Lightning doesn’t strike twice.
6) Husband had been living with parents till end of last year before moving out. New relationship? Whilst described as amicable, maybe that was a front? I have seen it reported that the family - extended family - are quite private. Potentially a reason for animosity and some kind of payback.
7) Means to financial gain. Goes without saying as they are family members and inheritance appplies etc.
8) Tracking down cctv would be lock in evidence of what was disposed of at tip. By whom. At what stage in the sequence of unfolding events did that take place - was it before she was made aware of the relatives illness, was it after? Was it before discussion of mushrooms being a potential cause.
9) body language. I didn’t need to see much more tbh than seeing EP on tv give a performance before I decided that she was 100% guilty. Every other detail that has emerged has only further cemented this view.

I don't necessarily agree with all of this, but you have made some good points.

 

[Dre]

I’m wondering why he thought he had ingested deadly nightshade specifically, and who told the police that she had been using a dehydrator?

I feel very bad for Simon, to wonder if he’s been poisoned and to have that confirmed by this horrific event has to be the most confusing- a mix of relief that he remains alive, and terrible guilt that his family retained a connection with the plotting murderer he brought into all of their lives…

Moo

 

[Jess M.]

I’m wondering why he thought he had ingested deadly nightshade specifically, and who told the police that she had been using a dehydrator?

I feel very bad for Simon, to wonder if he’s been poisoned and to have that confirmed by this horrific event has to be the most confusing- a mix of relief that he remains alive, and terrible guilt that his family retained a connection with the plotting murderer he brought into all of their lives…

Moo

He left the marriage not long afterwards. In regards to the dehydrator, maybe someone saw her go to the tip?