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

[Estelle]

That article says she only owns 2 homes, including the townhome in Melbourne she inherited? That would be different from other media reports.

Yes, very different.

I interpreted that to mean that she has in total:
1. her house
2. his house
3. $1m townhouse investment in Melbourne
4. investment property
5. investment property.
IMO houses in her area are not very expensive.

 

[SMK777]

I'm not sure about that. She'd still be responsible. And she'd still have been inducing certain harm. Plus, it sounds like everyone knows about the toxicity of certain mushrooms in that area.

Exactly. Trying to poison people so that you can be the heroic caretaker, and having them wind up dead would still be some kind of serious homicide, even though not premeditated murder. In the US at least you would still be facing decades in prison.

 

[Estelle]

I'm not sure about that. She'd still be responsible. And she'd still have been inducing certain harm. Plus, it sounds like everyone knows about the toxicity of certain mushrooms in that area.

It was a tongue in cheek remark.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

Criticism of this woman’ physical appearance or fashion sense are just tacky and unnecessary. While such critique may be in approved sources, it is not allowed at Websleuths.

Can't recall the book and author from decades past, but this one line has stayed with me through the years:

“If everyone were perfect we would forfeit our right to be an individual”.

 

[Friday Fan]

RSBM & BBM

No, we didn't. We have our trials by jury in the UK.

OK...I thought maybe that's why "trial by the media" is so popular over there. (Well, it is here, but not as much as over there)
I think the media s more cautious here because they don't want to taint potential jury pools.

 

[Friday Fan]

Assuming a serious question:

The Role of Juries | Rule of Law Education Centre

www.ruleoflaw.org.au

Yes. Because of the way the media tabloids things. In the US they're a bit more careful because it can taint jury pools.
However, we've had some truly "trial by media" cases that did not go well for prosecutors. (OJ and Casey Anthony)

 

[Jess M.]

OK so I would guess that if she's done nothing wrong, it would be pretty terrifying if several of your dinner party went into crisis and died, so you'd probably check in the hospital to be checked over too? One would be terrified that the same symptoms are going to suddenly start surely?

Or you would do it so as to appear innocent of any wrong doing re the incident...

 

[SMK777]

Or you would do it so as to appear innocent of any wrong doing re the incident...

Right, equally plausible.

 

[charminglane]

I wonder if someone coveted other’s property?

 

[SMK777]

I wonder if someone coveted other’s property?

That’s what I wondered before I heard about Erin having so many properties.
How would she have gained access through the poisonings. I guess even if divorced she still would? Or through her children?

 

[charminglane]

That’s what I wondered before I heard about Erin having so many properties.
How would she have gained access through the poisonings. I guess even if divorced she still would? Or through her children?

Or purchased with her savings.
Keep it in the family…

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

OK...I thought maybe that's why "trial by the media" is so popular over there. (Well, it is here, but not as much as over there)
I think the media s more cautious here because they don't want to taint potential jury pools.

We definitely have juries here in the UK and if you're interested, there's a current case on here 'Lucy Letby, Verdict Watch'. It's a trial that's been going on for 10 months now and the poor jury have had to sit and listen to some extremely distressing stuff and they're currently deliberating.

It's caused quite some debate amongst us as to how they're coping and if they're going to be able to come to a unanimous decision or not soon, especially since one juror was recently discharged from duty due to an 'inevitable' life event but we don't know what.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

Or you would do it so as to appear innocent of any wrong doing re the incident...

Well, that's it. Can't win if you do or don't in this situation LOL

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

A few thoughts that crossed my mind:

- what if this was a 'childish' prank perpetrated by people too young to consider the consequences;

- what if someone actually intended to wipe out *all* the adults, for some reason E got lucky and failed to ingest her portion of the poison and she's just as much a target as the others?

- until toxicology comes back and we have more published facts, we don't actually know for sure that the group really did eat Beef Wellington with mushrooms - apparently this is only a 'leaked rumour' from a source close to the families;

- even if the group were poisoned with deadly nightcap mushrooms, that poison could have been in anything they ate, not just the mushrooms, if they were dried and powdered, it could have been in their coffee or suchlike;

- if the group of four adults travelled to E's house to share a meal, what if they stopped met up or stopped off for a coffee en route and in fact were all four poisoned in a different location by someone else entirely?

- likewise vice versa what if they travelled home together and stopped off for a drink or a coffee and were poisoned in that location?

- it is stated in the MSM that E claims to have purchased the mushrooms she did use for the meal in a carton from a store, ie they were not hand picked by herself. What if that carton had been tampered with or simply had the wrong sort of mushroom in it by mistake?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Well, that's it. Can't win if you do or don't in this situation LOL

I was about to say the same thing.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

In terms of motive, what would E stand to gain? Also why would she need to gain anything, she's already got a lot!

Wouldn't there be someone else involved in all this who will stand to gain and could have benefited even more if E herself had been poisoned too?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

2 Million dollars worth of property and we don't know how much in liquid assets.
That's more than enough to attract the attention of someone looking for easy money.

 

[SMK777]

A few thoughts that crossed my mind:

- what if this was a 'childish' prank perpetrated by people too young to consider the consequences;

- what if someone actually intended to wipe out *all* the adults, for some reason E got lucky and failed to ingest her portion of the poison and she's just as much a target as the others?

- until toxicology comes back and we have more published facts, we don't actually know for sure that the group really did eat Beef Wellington with mushrooms - apparently this is only a 'leaked rumour' from a source close to the families;

- even if the group were poisoned with deadly nightcap mushrooms, that poison could have been in anything they ate, not just the mushrooms, if they were dried and powdered, it could have been in their coffee or suchlike;

- if the group of four adults travelled to E's house to share a meal, what if they stopped met up or stopped off for a coffee en route and in fact were all four poisoned in a different location by someone else entirely?

- likewise vice versa what if they travelled home together and stopped off for a drink or a coffee and were poisoned in that location?

- it is stated in the MSM that E claims to have purchased the mushrooms she did use for the meal in a carton from a store, ie they were not hand picked by herself. What if that carton had been tampered with or simply had the wrong sort of mushroom in it by mistake?

I guess this is why law enforcement has to really be meticulous with their research and investigation before making any decisions.

They don’t want to arrest an innocent person; nor do they want a murderer to escape consequences.

 

[jjleroche]

A few thoughts that crossed my mind:

- what if this was a 'childish' prank perpetrated by people too young to consider the consequences;

- what if someone actually intended to wipe out *all* the adults, for some reason E got lucky and failed to ingest her portion of the poison and she's just as much a target as the others?

- until toxicology comes back and we have more published facts, we don't actually know for sure that the group really did eat Beef Wellington with mushrooms - apparently this is only a 'leaked rumour' from a source close to the families;

- even if the group were poisoned with deadly nightcap mushrooms, that poison could have been in anything they ate, not just the mushrooms, if they were dried and powdered, it could have been in their coffee or suchlike;

- if the group of four adults travelled to E's house to share a meal, what if they stopped met up or stopped off for a coffee en route and in fact were all four poisoned in a different location by someone else entirely?

- likewise vice versa what if they travelled home together and stopped off for a drink or a coffee and were poisoned in that location?

- it is stated in the MSM that E claims to have purchased the mushrooms she did use for the meal in a carton from a store, ie they were not hand picked by herself. What if that carton had been tampered with or simply had the wrong sort of mushroom in it by mistake?

Great insightful post. I'm finding it somewhat alarming that there have been many posts jumping to conclusions, assuming that EP has deliberately caused these deaths. Good to read your post Observe-don't-Absorb.
The scenarios which you mention are all entirely plausible IMO.

The reality is that we, the general public, know very little at the moment of the official facts of this case, but there has been a lot of speculation.
I can't help thinking that, if EP were entirely innocent, the situation in which she and her children find themselves would be a true nightmare, which could cause serious and lasting emotional trauma.
MOO IMO

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[Jess M.]

A few thoughts that crossed my mind:

- what if this was a 'childish' prank perpetrated by people too young to consider the consequences;

- what if someone actually intended to wipe out *all* the adults, for some reason E got lucky and failed to ingest her portion of the poison and she's just as much a target as the others?

- until toxicology comes back and we have more published facts, we don't actually know for sure that the group really did eat Beef Wellington with mushrooms - apparently this is only a 'leaked rumour' from a source close to the families;

- even if the group were poisoned with deadly nightcap mushrooms, that poison could have been in anything they ate, not just the mushrooms, if they were dried and powdered, it could have been in their coffee or suchlike;

- if the group of four adults travelled to E's house to share a meal, what if they stopped met up or stopped off for a coffee en route and in fact were all four poisoned in a different location by someone else entirely?

- likewise vice versa what if they travelled home together and stopped off for a drink or a coffee and were poisoned in that location?

- it is stated in the MSM that E claims to have purchased the mushrooms she did use for the meal in a carton from a store, ie they were not hand picked by herself. What if that carton had been tampered with or simply had the wrong sort of mushroom in it by mistake?

That's a lot of 'What ifs'?