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

[TootsieFootsie]

I'm getting a bit confused now. Not sure if I've misread. Just to clarify - the kids WERE at the lunch, and NOT the movies?

TIA

It's getting more confusing, instead of less

 

[Salah11]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/funerals-of-tragic-mushroom-trio-to-be-delayed/news-story/5cdf2fd29a6df4f022751f39334dc9fd

Behind a paywall Putting it here for those who subscribe

Hopefully somebody can give us the gist of what is being said.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

'Does that make her a killer?': Ex-cop on the case against mushroom poisoning suspect

After Erin Patterson’s statement to police was leaked to the media, the court of public opinion has been picking over the mysterious mushroom poisoning cas

www.newstalkzb.co.nz

Now a veteran Aussie homicide detective has weighed in on the case, cautioning armchair investigators that police would struggle to secure a conviction.

Charlie Bezzina told the Herald Sun that any case against Patterson would be circumstantial at best and her “chopping and changing” her story did not make her a killer.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

'Does that make her a killer?': Ex-cop on the case against mushroom poisoning suspect

After Erin Patterson’s statement to police was leaked to the media, the court of public opinion has been picking over the mysterious mushroom poisoning cas

www.newstalkzb.co.nz

He cited the final toxicology reports and any potential interview with Ian Wilkinson as central to the investigation, saying cops would be “champing at the bit” to speak to the survivor.

But even if toxicology proved that death cap mushrooms killed her guests, Bezzina said that serving them was not necessarily a crime.

“It’s how you then prove the intent, knowing that they were poisoned, knowing the consequences, and on it goes,” he said.

 

[Salah11]

'Does that make her a killer?': Ex-cop on the case against mushroom poisoning suspect

After Erin Patterson’s statement to police was leaked to the media, the court of public opinion has been picking over the mysterious mushroom poisoning cas

www.newstalkzb.co.nz

He cited the final toxicology reports and any potential interview with Ian Wilkinson as central to the investigation, saying cops would be “champing at the bit” to speak to the survivor.

But even if toxicology proved that death cap mushrooms killed her guests, Bezzina said that serving them was not necessarily a crime.

“It’s how you then prove the intent, knowing that they were poisoned, knowing the consequences, and on it goes,” he said.

Surely part of intent if she is guilty is the fact she is fine.

 

[LadyL]

I've been too scared to eat mushrooms since my night from hell. over 10 years ago,

They were supermarket mushrooms.

oh noooo!

 

[LadyL]

As far as I can see the only inference that SP’s illness in 2022 was a “mystery” was that generated by the media (speculating on his Facebook post) and possibly an unnamed source.

I can’t see that SP himself has stated that it was a mystery or suspected poisoning anywhere in articles I have read.

There are plenty of reasons people can become acutely ill and need emergency treatment for intestinal problems (e.g. bowel perforation, peritonitis, sepsis).
I think this illness was probably clarified in EP’s written statement to police as she made reference to caring for SP during his recovery.

maybe that's when she got the idea!
actually I do think she poisoned him and probably has pulled similar stunts on others
I wonder if her kids had a lot of childhood 'illnesses'
JMO

 

[jjleroche]

I have been reading that even edible, non-poisonous mushrooms can be "difficult to digest" to the point of making you think you've been poisoned.

Sometimes it's because people lack an enzyme. Had you had problems with mushrooms before?

I can recall, as a child, having a dreadful reaction to mushrooms on toast. (So I'm guessing the problem was the mushrooms.) My sister also became ill, but nowhere near as badly as I did.
I have never been so ill with a tummy problem in my life.

Those mushies were foraged. The adults were meticulous in their checking of the fungi which we came across. I'm assuming they weren't DCs, or I wouldn't be here.

The only mushrooms which I'll eat now are the tinned variety. Even then...

 

[Salah11]

I can recall, as a child, having a dreadful reaction to mushrooms on toast. (So I'm guessing the problem was the mushrooms.) My sister also became ill also, but nowhere near as badly as I did.
I have never been so ill with a tummy problem in my life.

Those mushies were foraged. The adults were meticulous in their checking of the fungi which we came across. I'm assuming they weren't DCs, or I wouldn't be here.

The only mushrooms whiich I'll eat now are the tinned variety. Even then...

I didn’t even know Tinned Mushrooms were a thing. Only ever seen them fresh in the supermarkets.

 

[Ellery84]

maybe that's when she got the idea!
actually I do think she poisoned him and probably has pulled similar stunts on others
I wonder if her kids had a lot of childhood 'illnesses'
JMO

Oh my God.

 

[Sabex]

I can recall, as a child, having a dreadful reaction to mushrooms on toast. (So I'm guessing the problem was the mushrooms.) My sister also became ill, but nowhere near as badly as I did.
I have never been so ill with a tummy problem in my life.

Those mushies were foraged. The adults were meticulous in their checking of the fungi which we came across. I'm assuming they weren't DCs, or I wouldn't be here.

The only mushrooms which I'll eat now are the tinned variety. Even then...

It's the one food I'll never forage for. There are many poisonous mushrooms that masquerade as edible ones. For example:

False morel - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[thunderwombat]

Thanks Aussie.
How reputable is it as a publication?

I'm no fan of the Murdoch press, like all good Victorians, but the HS does have a top notch crime reporting team in including Andrew Rule (of Underbelly fame), Keith Moor (Crims in Grass Castles, the Mugshot series), very victim focussed, Anthony Dowsley can come across as a bully boy in person but has great knowledge and connections.

 

[Bats]

Surely part of intent if she is guilty is the fact she is fine.

MOO, the fact that EP didn't become seriously ill does not necessarily mean she intended to commit a malicious act.

I guess the crux of the investigation will be firstly if it can be shown and proven that EP knew she was poisoning the 4 people. And secondly, if it can be shown that she did know she was poisoning them, was it her intent just to make them ill or was it something more sinister...

As quite a few people have stated here, its likely the LE have a lot of evidence that the public are not privy to. Things like her messages, movements prior to and after the lunch, web searches etc. Also, there may be evidence from witnesses.

With the information we are privy to, its logical to draw the conclusion that a sinister act has been committed, though we really probably only know a very small percentage of the full picture. Lying certainly hasn't helped paint a picture of innocence.

 

[CityKid]

'Does that make her a killer?': Ex-cop on the case against mushroom poisoning suspect

After Erin Patterson’s statement to police was leaked to the media, the court of public opinion has been picking over the mysterious mushroom poisoning cas

www.newstalkzb.co.nz

Now a veteran Aussie homicide detective has weighed in on the case, cautioning armchair investigators that police would struggle to secure a conviction.

Charlie Bezzina told the Herald Sun that any case against Patterson would be circumstantial at best and her “chopping and changing” her story did not make her a killer.

Circumstantial evidence can be quite strong. It's not often that there's an eyewitness to a fatal poisoning.

Lake Wylie woman to spend 25 years in prison for fatally poisoning husband with eye drops

York County detectives said Lana Clayton confessed to the crime, which garnered national attention in 2018.

www.wsoctv.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

While police have only said Erin Patterson is a person of interest, and haven’t suggested she tried intentionally poisoning her in-laws, experienced psychologist Tim Watson-Munro says there are a number of bizarre elements that need to be investigated.

Speaking to the Australian, Watson-Munro, who has worked on catching some of Australia’s biggest criminal offenders, stated: “I’m not a big believer in coincidences.”

Red flag number one​

The first red flag he highlights was that Patterson’s former husband nearly died twice in 2022 from gastric-related complications.

The Herald Sun reported a family friend said Simon felt “a bit off” and his illnesses “often coincided [with] when he spent time with her [Erin]”.

In a police statement regarding July’s deaths, Patterson also questioned herself as to whether she poisoned Simon’s parents and aunty.

“Obviously, he was either wilfully poisoned or it was just bad luck,” Watson-Munro told the Australian.

Red flag number two​

Watson-Munro isn’t convinced by Patterson’s statement in which she claimed she purchased the mushrooms at an unnamed Asian supermarket.

In his view, he believes her claim sounds “ludicrous” because death cap mushrooms are not commercial products.

He said: “People just don’t retail them. It’s not that loose.”

Red flag number three​

Patterson revealed in a follow-up statement to police that her children were not present at the lunch, despite initial reports they were.

She claimed they were at the movies, but ate leftovers of the meal the following day.

Watson-Munro believes it is “weird” the children were out of the house during what was meant to be a family lunch.

Watson-Munro says police would be looking for points of weakness and the slow, steady approach would be tactical. He said: “It is a fascinating case. Everyone is talking about it.”

A police statement by Patterson was reportedly leaked to the media, revealing she became unwell after eating the meal.

She admitted she then dumped a dehydrator she used to prepare the meal at a nearby tip soon afterwards because she was in a panic.

She told them she dumped it there a “long time ago”, before revealing she did it after her guests fell ill.

She now claims she was at the hospital with her children “discussing the food hydrator” when her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, asked: “Is that what you used to poison them?”

“The Patterson family (including Erin and estranged husband Simon) would pick mushrooms each year when they were in season,” the friend said.

The Herald Sun quotes sources close to the investigation as saying the ambulance officer felt it necessary to make police aware of what was said, though the details are yet to be released.

“I lost my parents-in-law, my children lost their grandparents. And I’ve been painted as an evil witch,” Patterson told the Australian.

“And the media is making it impossible for me to live in this town. I can’t have friends over.

“The media is at the house where my children are at. The media are at my sister’s house, so I can’t go there. This is unfair.”

She said she did not leak her police statement. “I didn’t put any statement out,” she told the Australian.

“I have no idea how it got out. I made a statement to the police.”

Forensic psychologist highlights major 'red flags' in deadly mushroom case

A forensic psychologist details concerns about woman's behaviour after mushroom deaths.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[imstilla.grandma]

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*cool video

 

[MissTwiddle]

Do we know how all the individual guests ended up in the hospital?

I mean, for example, did they all call ambulances, did they drive to A&E, ring a medical helpline and get referred?

The couple’s must have witnessed their OHs also feeling unwell, and knew they’d eaten the same food, so I’m curious at what point they realised this was more serious than a bad reaction to a rich meal or eating something ‘off’.

I’m wondering if something was said at the meal, to all of them, that made them involve the hospital rather than trying to deal with ‘it’ at home. Why would all four of them feel it was any more serious than a bout of food poisoning that just needed to work its way through?

 

[Oona]

I’d be interested to know when the dehydrator was taken to the tip. Was it before or after the guests died?
After EP’s own hospital visit? (She must have recovered quickly?)
Also, why panic about the dehydrator but willingly hand over left over beef Wellington for testing?
And how much leftovers would there have been after the Saturday luncheon and Sunday leftovers for the children? A quick google search of recipes suggests beef Wellington serves 4-6 people. I think she cooked two. One with DC mushrooms and one without.

 

[JBowie]

I think she cooked two. One with DC mushrooms and one without.

Quite possibly.

 

[dgfred]

There was absolutely no reason to 'panic' and throw the thing away.

People are sick/dying/dead... if innocent you want to help find the cause. If guilty you might 'panic' and try to hide the evidence of wrong doing.