Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #5 *Arrest*

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

My thinking is that she did pick them herself, mistaking them for ok ones, and when her guests started becoming unwell she panicked and stupidly made up a story of having bought them.

She dug a hole for herself which she couldn't get out of.

I doubt very much that she set out to kill anyone, or even just make them sick.

I'm not convinced yet that I want to join the tarring and feathering.

I agree this is possible and instead of processing the guilt / shame and telling the truth, she panicked and made up a silly cover story. Also I do wonder if she foraged mushrooms together with her children, an aspect that could put her into a tailspin. That would explain all the plot holes.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Wild mushroom warning

Fleurieu at your fingertips

fleurieunews.com.au

Wild mushroom warning

“People should only eat mushrooms purchased from a reliable greengrocer or supermarket, as there is no simple way to tell if a mushroom is safe to eat or not, and even experts can have difficulty identifying certain species from each other.

Fungi – the Forgotten Kingdom

David Noble, Member, National Parks Association of NSW When you look at an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or National Park Plan of Management, you always see sections on flora and fauna, but …

npansw.org.au

The next time you are in the
bush keep your eyes open and look out for fungi. Once you find one, look for more nearby. They often occur in clusters that include many species. These fungi one day may help us learn the biochemistry to break down pollution or to kill tumours.

And to finish – do not eat any fungi you find in the bush. Even experts make mistakes with identification, and a mistake may be fatal.

 

[Forest_Wood]

I find it astonishing how so many <modsnip> declare EP as a cold, calculating, evil individual who's been poring over her library of mushroom books and collecting her poisonous mushrooms for months - or even years - plotting this so-called crime. In her quest to get back at her in-laws for some obscure slight - despite what LE has even reported - she has apparently masterminded a near perfect crime, according to some. She's portrayed as either very stupid, or brilliant. The woman has not even been charged with any crime. MOO.

 

[Ellery84]

The scenario that makes the most sense to me is that she intended to make them all ill to 'get them off my back' for a bit and this all went terribly pear shaped.

This would fit with the way she seemed shocked and a bit dismayed that her ex-husbands relatives had died, like she didn’t expect it.

IMO

 

[Ellery84]

I find it astonishing how so many <modsnip> declare EP as a cold, calculating, evil individual who's been poring over her library of mushroom books and collecting her poisonous mushrooms for months - or even years - plotting this so-called crime

That’s the narrative that some of the news outlets pushed, especially early on.

IMO

 

[Salah11]

I find it astonishing how so many <modsnip> declare EP as a cold, calculating, evil individual who's been poring over her library of mushroom books and collecting her poisonous mushrooms for months - or even years - plotting this so-called crime. In her quest to get back at her in-laws for some obscure slight - despite what LE has even reported - she has apparently masterminded a near perfect crime, according to some. She's portrayed as either very stupid, or brilliant. The woman has not even been charged with any crime. MOO.

No but I believe she will be. That’s my prerogative when I look at the facts she has lied multiple times and LE have also said they don’t believe her.

Am I going to believe the woman who chucked away evidence and her own ex husband accused her of the crime or LE who have no axe to grind?!

Inspector Thomas said that Erin and her two children also presented to hospital as a precaution, but noted they did not have symptoms.

Also another golden quote from LE

Inspector Thomas said the two children ate a different meal to the adults. He would not confirm which of the two meals Erin had eaten, but said that would form part of the investigation

The contradictions in the mushroom poisoning case

Don and Gail Patterson, Gail's sister Heather and her pastor husband Ian fell sick after eating beef Wellington pie at Erin Patterson's Leongatha home, in Victoria's Gippsland, on July 29.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Lady Bug]

The scenario that makes the most sense to me is that she intended to make them all ill to 'get them off my back' for a bit and this all went terribly pear shaped. Actually setting out to kill them doesn't make much sense but considering what happened previously with Simon I think aiming to make people sick is in line with previous behaviour.

I think the opposite.

EP and SP were separated, not divorced. This lunch was in all likely hood a meeting to discuss financial and custody arrangements. If Erin had any fears surrounding the custody of the children she would be going out of her way to present as a good mother and home-maker. She would not be doing anything which might jeopardise her custodial parenting arrangements.
At this point Simon's illness is only speculated to have been caused by Erin. It could be totally unrelated and irrelevant to the current investigation.

 

[SouthAussie]

RSBM

It is very very unusual to receive a forensic confirmation from media before law enforcement without an actual print out of the test.

It is not unusual in Australia. We don't get to see print outs of forensic tests. These things are not released publicly here.
And the police don't say a word about test results until a trial or inquest.

Consequently, we will hear about results that have been leaked.

The best gauge we can put on the information is who is telling us. A respected journo with good sources, or a tabloid journo who goes for click bait. I would put John Silvester in the first category.

 

[kittythehare]

It is not unusual in Australia. We don't get to see print outs of forensic tests. These things are not released publicly here.
And the police don't say a word about test results until a trial or inquest.

Consequently, we will hear about results that have been leaked.

The best gauge we can put on the information is who is telling us. A respected journo with good sources, or a tabloid journo who goes for click bait. I would put John Silvester in the first category.

Good to know, thanks.

 

[Ellery84]

Farmer suggests key detail in mushroom cook's story doesn't add up
An Australian mushroom grower has rubbished suggestions mushroom cook Erin Patterson could have purchased death cap mushrooms from a retailer - insisting supermarket mushrooms are grown in controlled conditions.

NewsDay host Ashleigh Gillon then quizzed the mushroom grower on whether it is possible someone could buy death caps from a supermarket.

“Absolutely not. If I was to take you on a tour around my farm now, you’ll find people with IT degrees and accounting degrees - it’s precision farming and we’ve got world-leading standards in Australia,” she said.

 

[SouthAussie]

New DM article says that IW has had security cameras installed outside his home, since he came home from the hospital.

Mushroom lunch survivor's security upgrade after miraculous recovery - following 'major development' in the Leongatha case


And did we know this?

"The dehydrator is currently undergoing forensic testing abroad."

Item at centre of mushroom deaths as forensic testing reveals major breakthrough

 

[Baby baby Jane]

I think the opposite.

EP and SP were separated, not divorced. This lunch was in all likely hood a meeting to discuss financial and custody arrangements. If Erin had any fears surrounding the custody of the children she would be going out of her way to present as a good mother and home-maker. She would not be doing anything which might jeopardise her custodial parenting arrangements.
At this point Simon's illness is only speculated to have been caused by Erin. It could be totally unrelated and irrelevant to the current investigation.

Unless, custody was likely changing and out of her control- no matter how good her housekeeping and cooking.

 

[Lady Bug]

Unless, custody was likely changing and out of her control- no matter how good her housekeeping and cooking.

Good point, however causing an illness which could be traced to her home is not a smart thing to do if she's wishing to challenge any changes to custody.

 

[Salah11]

Farmer suggests key detail in mushroom cook's story doesn't add up
An Australian mushroom grower has rubbished suggestions mushroom cook Erin Patterson could have purchased death cap mushrooms from a retailer - insisting supermarket mushrooms are grown in controlled conditions.

NewsDay host Ashleigh Gillon then quizzed the mushroom grower on whether it is possible someone could buy death caps from a supermarket.

“Absolutely not. If I was to take you on a tour around my farm now, you’ll find people with IT degrees and accounting degrees - it’s precision farming and we’ve got world-leading standards in Australia,” she said.

I just read this and again shows the holes in EP story.

Ms Beattie said Australia’s mushroom growers operate under strict quality control and safety precautions and there is no way the death cap mushrooms could have come from a major supermarket.

 

[katydid23]

if she only added the store bought dried dc mushroom powder to a gravy, maybe for extra flavour, and didnt use the gravy herself could explain her not getting ill?

wouldn't she have tasted the gravy a few times while cooking it?

And isn't it quite unusual that no one else got sick or died IF there were death caps being sold in an asian market?

 

[katydid23]

Good point, however causing an illness which could be traced to her home is not a smart thing to do if she's wishing to challenge any changes to custody.

True, it would not be a smart thing to do. But we have seen countless examples of spouses doing very stupid things during custody battles and divorce proceedings.

Sometimes anger and resentment build and a person can overreact. Look at her earlier reactions, when caught drunk driving:

Mushroom chef Erin Patterson crashed her unregistered car while speeding at 95km/h before fleeing the scene​

• The charges included failing to stop a vehicle after an accident, failing to give a name or address after causing property damage, using an unregistered vehicle on a highway and failing to give her name or address when property was damaged.
  
  She reportedly submitted a breath test within three hours of the crash and posted a blood alcohol reading of 0.14 per cent - more than twice the legal limit - however a sixth charge related to that was struck out.

Although it happened when she was 29, it still gives some idea of how she sometimes deals with stress/pressure. She fled from the scene after crashing her vehicle, and when caught, refused to give them her name, etc.

So I cannot say she didn't use tainted mushrooms because it was not a smart thing to do. She may not always do the smartest thing.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

True, it would not be a smart thing to do. But we have seen countless examples of spouses doing very stupid things during custody battles and divorce proceedings.

Sometimes anger and resentment build and a person can overreact. Look at her earlier reactions, when caught drunk driving:

Mushroom chef Erin Patterson crashed her unregistered car while speeding at 95km/h before fleeing the scene​

• The charges included failing to stop a vehicle after an accident, failing to give a name or address after causing property damage, using an unregistered vehicle on a highway and failing to give her name or address when property was damaged.
  
  She reportedly submitted a breath test within three hours of the crash and posted a blood alcohol reading of 0.14 per cent - more than twice the legal limit - however a sixth charge related to that was struck out.

Although it happened when she was 29, it still gives some idea of how she sometimes deals with stress/pressure. She fled from the scene after crashing her vehicle, and when caught, refused to give them her name, etc.

So I cannot say she didn't use tainted mushrooms because it was not a smart thing to do. She may not always do the smartest thing.

It looks like maybe she behaves in a very childish and reactionary manner when triggered or under duress or her guilt / shame is activated. There's certain types of people who cannot tolerate the negative feelings associated with failure or guilt that will do literally *anything*, no matter how ludicrous and no matter how childish, illogical, and infantile their dogged reasoning (or lack of reason) seems. Maybe she's one of them. If so, she's really boxed herself into a corner.

 

[Ellery84]

I just read this and again shows the holes in EP story.

100%. And that’s probably why there are no public health warnings or recalls regarding store-brought mushrooms in Victoria.

 

[Ellery84]

My current policy is to avoid everything mushroom-related - just in case.

There’s no health warnings on store-brought mushrooms in Victoria or in the wider Australia.

From an epidemiological point of view: You’d be best to just avoid lunch at Erin’s house for the near future, I’d say.

Moo

 

[SouthAussie]

Yesterday the Herald Sun put out a new article.

It basically goes over all of the things that the police have to do - with regard to speaking with witnesses like Leongatha Cinema staff, Koonwarra tip staff, EP, SP, the children, Asian grocers, hospital staff, ambulance officers.

Also all the forensics that have to be done - including dehydrator, food scraps, CCTV, credit card usage, internet history and phone data.

The article states that those inquiries and the forensic testing are expected to run into 2024, and preparation of a brief of evidence will extend the time further.

It goes on to say that then the police will give the brief of evidence to the DPP for a lengthy evaluation to see if charges are to be laid.
Though there is no indication of why they say that. If it is surmised by the authors of the article (a police reporter and a community reporter) or if it has been leaked that it is truly expected by the authorities.

It does say that police have said very little about the investigation to the media. So maybe just surmised.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/why-the-long-wait-for-answers-in-mushroom-death-probe/news-story/50e593e4a23fec798a1ad22b822632a4?amp&nk=f8042146b0c15a57e6a12eeadc3ba7b0-1695941877