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

[SMK777]

Does anyone know how / why it's deadly mushrooms that have been fixated on in this case as opposed to some other form of poisoning or toxin?

I appreciate that 'the internet says' the deaths are in line with this particular mushroom but how was that suspicion arrived at so quickly? Would it not be the case that any type of severe deadly poison would result in chronic gastric issues and the liver failing?

It was not media or social media that zeroed in on the mushrooms. It was medical professionals and law enforcement.

 

[ch_13]

I agree but at the same time, I would speculate that thousands of poisons would cause liver and kidney failure and if the poisoning was intentional and targeted it could have just as easily been put in a chocolate biscuit or a cup of coffee.

RSBM.

I don't believe this is true. There are not "thousands" of poisons that can cause these symptoms. Can you name some?

Especially when you consider that whatever occurred apparently happened to four people nearly simultaneously. Sure, if you ingest industrial solvents or OD on medication, then that could present as liver failure. But why would every adult save Erin at the lunch have been affected?

 

[Jess M.]

I also wonder what made the husband suspect nightshade poisoning specifically?

Nightshades contain solanines, which in high doses cause gastrointestinal symptoms as well as slow pulse, headaches, and fever. Now, if I experienced those symptoms, my first thought wouldn’t be nightshades. But if for some reason I suspected that I’d been poisoned, my first thought (until now) would be prescription medication or elicit drugs - not a poisonous plant. Therefore, SP’s mind jumping straight to nightshade poisoning suggests to me that perhaps EP has a known interest in or knowledge of plant poisons…?

This information came from a friend of Simon's. We don't know that it's reliable...

 

[Jess M.]

Why would it be a crime if she disposed of a hydrator? Hydrators can’t be sent to the dump?

One would think that if your in laws has just died a tragic death and your pastor was in a critical condition in hospital, you would have more on your mind than taking your dehydrator to the local tip...

 

[Jess M.]

Isn't it just a regional thing?
Would have been called a pie in my small corner of SE London.
Australians have weird names for everything anyway (not being a bully here or anything lol, js)

This is Australia.

 

[SMK777]

One would think that if your in laws has just died a tragic death and your pastor was in a critical condition in hospital, you would have more on your mind than taking your dehydrator to the local tip...

Right. Some say she may have done that as a safety precaution, but people in that situation would speak to law enforcement and poison control officials, and have them examine it as part of their investigation —not go off and do that privately.

It looks like obstruction of justice and concealment of criminal evidence.

 

[Jess M.]

It has yet to be confirmed that the people died of mushroom poisoning, never mind how they consumed the mushrooms.

I have doubts about this case and especially because if it's as simple and straight forwards as all this, then it's a strange and very obvious way to go about murdering people :/ I mean to say one could hardly hope to get away with it surely?

Not everyone uses a gun...

 

[Jess M.]

I think it's possible that she may have disposed of the dehydrator if she realised she'd made a terrible mistake and misidentified the mushrooms that she had picked and dried.
And if it was not deliberate.

It might not even be mushrooms, but she might have thought it was the mushrooms.

Ah, but you're forgetting that she told the police that she purchased the mushrooms from the local store.

 

[AliceInPain]

This is Australia.

That's literally what I said.

 

[JBowie]

I have read she drove 15km to the rubbish dump. To me that shows great desperation to get rid of it quickly. Most would store it until they had a full load.

Do you have a link to an article/report that says that she drove there?

 

[JBowie]

In case E is innocent, surely husband should hush his mouth a little bit and stick only disclosing what he knows to detectives?

These people have children together and as yet we have zero facts.

Yes she's a suspect, surely any of us would be suspect in the same circumstance?

If it were me, and I had already had a near-death experience as he has (and had reportedly said he thinks he was poisoned by nightshade toxin) then I would have been talking to the police at that time.

Now that it appears that my parents have been killed by plant toxin, and that I may have dodged the same fate by not attending that meal, you can bet that I'd be assisting police to the fullest extent.

 

[Jess M.]

In case E is innocent, surely husband should hush his mouth a little bit and stick only disclosing what he knows to detectives?

These people have children together and as yet we have zero facts.

Yes she's a suspect, surely any of us would be suspect in the same circumstance?

The husband isn't the one talking to the media, friends of his were.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

It's not the internet that says it, it was 'trained' doctors at the hospital who said that their symptoms were in line with death cap mushrooms and they had all ingested mushrooms at lunch. What a surprise...

Has there been verified evidence that death cap mushrooms were found to have been served at lunch?

Otherwise, yes, it's just 'the internet says' and the ex husband has said.

I agree that it's been said the poisoning was in line with deadly mushrooms but I would hazard a guess the very same symptoms are in line with hundreds of different types of poisons. That's what I'm getting at.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

It was not media or social media that zeroed in on the mushrooms. It was medical professionals and law enforcement.

Do you have links for this as I haven't seen anything that's been quoted by LE re mushrooms?

I do totally understand that people all over the place have agreed the poisoning would be in line with deadly mushrooms.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

RSBM.

I don't believe this is true. There are not "thousands" of poisons that can cause these symptoms. Can you name some?

Especially when you consider that whatever occurred apparently happened to four people nearly simultaneously. Sure, if you ingest industrial solvents or OD on medication, then that could present as liver failure. But why would every adult save Erin at the lunch have been affected?

Well the husband believed he'd been poisoned by deadly nightshade apparently (unverified second hand info) so, until there's verified evidence that the mushrooms were in fact deadly ones, I don't see why anyone should jump to that conclusion over and above any other types of poison added to food that would cause gastric issues and then organ failure.

 

[Jess M.]

Has there been verified evidence that death cap mushrooms were found to have been served at lunch?

Otherwise, yes, it's just 'the internet says' and the ex husband has said.

I agree that it's been said the poisoning was in line with deadly mushrooms but I would hazard a guess the very same symptoms are in line with hundreds of different types of poisons. That's what I'm getting at.

The police are currently investigation g to see whether death cap mushrooms were served at lunch. Without being a trained professional, you can't say that the symptoms experienced from the victims is in line with hundreds different types of poisons. You need to apply logic here. All of these people were together and ate lunch served by Erin Patterson. Do the maths.

 

[Jess M.]

Do you have links for this as I haven't seen anything that's been quoted by LE re mushrooms?

I do totally understand that people all over the place have agreed the poisoning would be in line with deadly mushrooms.

Are you in Australia? It was on our nightly news.

 

[Jess M.]

I wonder if there will be an arrest this week?

 

[JBowie]

Do you have links for this as I haven't seen anything that's been quoted by LE re mushrooms?

I do totally understand that people all over the place have agreed the poisoning would be in line with deadly mushrooms.

The deaths of the Victorians are being investigated by police, who are awaiting toxicology results to confirm the cause — but they have said the symptoms were consistent with death cap mushroom poisoning. [bbm]

'I thought it was the end': Death cap mushroom survivor recounts brush with death

With the country gripped by the mystery surrounding the death of three elderly Victorians from suspected death cap mushroom poisoning, Simon Claringbold knows better than most how dangerous the fungus can be.

www.abc.net.au

 

[k-mac]

I have doubts about this case and especially because if it's as simple and straight forwards as all this, then it's a strange and very obvious way to go about murdering people :/ I mean to say one could hardly hope to get away with it surely?

Is it a crime to accidentally poison people? I don't think so but I am also not a lawyer.

rsbm

See there I think it isn't as obvious if its deliberate because as you say it isn't murder to 'accidently' poison people.
How do you prove it if she covered her tracks well?

Clever and cunning in my book.

The accumulation of side eyeing actions from her is hard to explain away.

All she gotta do is play dumb.
A perfect murder really. IMO