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

[katydid23]

The link I read within the last day or so seems to have thought that maybe EP was somewhere else and that it was only certain that the dog was there.

I hope someone is tending to that sweet Lab. They need their people or they get depressed.

 

[katydid23]

unless shes protecting someone who foraged with her? maybe there was a big basket full of wild mushrooms gathered and a couple of dc mixed in unnoticed, and that other person may have done the dehydrating?

If so, she should be charged and arrested as well. You cannot legally hide dangerous info like that. JMO

 

[katydid23]

Interesting points Dedee. I hadn't realised that (all)? button mushrooms are not poisonous.

Regarding the paucity of information from EP's statement, IMO investigators are doing what they can to keep information released to the public to a bare minimum. This is standard procedure.

Regarding the dried mushrooms, I found Ellery84's post showing a photograph of labelled dried mushrooms which her friend had stumbled upon in a store very interesting.
(Please note that I am not suggesting in any way that the brand on the container's label sells any product at all which could be considered dangerous. They are very highly regarded purveyors of gourmet foods.)
It does go to show though, that dried packaged mushrooms are indeed out there, which seems to be contrary to other information in this forum. I concede however, that I may have misunderstood. JMO

I have not seen anyone say that dried packaged mushrooms are NOT for sale out there. The question is are dried packaged Death Cap mushrooms for sale in local markets. And there is no evidence of that being true.

 

[katydid23]

but if she had foraged and dried the mushrooms, and not told the truth that could be why

IF she foraged and dried the mushrooms, her guests died and she and her children didn't, and she then lied and said she bought them at an unknown Asian market, that would be a long list of criminal charges coming at her, IMO.

 

[LordMo]

I'm still not entirely convinced she's guilty or did it on purpose, but if she is innocent, one thing's for sure - she's created a textbook case for how to convince everyone you did a crime you didn't commit.

 

[katydid23]

Possibly she has ommited some information? What she has said about the store bought mushrooms may turn out to be true, but has she included every mushroom from every source?

Ommiting information when it involves the painful death of 3 people who ate at your table is a big problem, IMO.

 

[katydid23]

I'm still not entirely convinced she's guilty or did it on purpose, but if she is innocent, one thing's for sure - she's created a textbook case for how to convince everyone you did a crime you didn't commit.

I tried early on to imagine a scenario in which she could be totally innocent here, and I can't think of a viable one.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

That's very helpful information, thank you!

It's interesting how so many take "food poisoning" for granted. How often do we hear people say they got food poisoning from a meal they ate and one tends to think it's from meat.

I wonder how the hospital staff handled this type of toxin when all four of them showed up.

Mass food poisoning is common - it can happen at weddings, on cruise liners, airlines, even in huge fancy restaurants - there are stories of hundreds of people getting ill and the frail and elderly can die.

It's the biggest concern of any catering business that they don't have a member of staff who spreads disease through turning up for work when they're sick -also- to keep their kitchens spotless and don't cross contaminate any foods with bacteria or spores left behind because of poor meat prep and cleaning practices -also- to cook all meats at a very high temperature quickly but for long enough so they don't 'warm up' all the wrong bacteria but fail to kill them -also- the worst thing ever would be to purchase a whole bad batch of something like a shellfish that could cause severe reactions.

When the four older people became severely ill and died but EP did not, medics and health and safety staff would absolutely assume food poisoning which would affect the weak and elderly far worse than a younger person. It must only have been due to concerns raised by SP and maybe other comments / information we don't know about that poisoning became raised as a concern and was tested for, otherwise those deaths may well have been written off as severe food poisoning with the beef being the suspect. (One would hope that authorities check for relevant pathology if so but can never be sure).

 

[DeDee]

Interesting points Dedee. I hadn't realised that (all)? button mushrooms are not poisonous.

Thank you for your kindness. Anyone foraging is doing so at their own risk. I see it as a hobby enjoyed outdoors in certain geographical areas and not because an individual is poor. By George! Mushrooms are bellissimo! It wouldn't be safe to select button or morel mushrooms growing near a cow patty, for instance, would it? What makes a fungi poisonous? Does the button possess those properties?

Regarding the paucity of information from EP's statement, IMO investigators are doing what they can to keep information released to the public to a bare minimum. This is standard procedure.

Are you suggesting the Police released the portions of Erin's statement we've read? I always assumed the leaked portions came from her lawyer's office.

Regarding the dried mushrooms, I found Ellery84's post showing a photograph of labelled dried mushrooms which her friend had stumbled upon in a store very interesting.

We, the general public, can purchase dehydrated mushrooms many places. It is not unique. We can order dried Forest Mushrooms on Amazon. We can select dehydrated EU mushrooms, etc. They're sold at Whole Foods. There is a wide range of drieds available from other sites but there are no Death Caps for sale anywhere as the governing restrictions keep the pubic safe from their potentially fatal harm.

(Please note that I am not suggesting in any way that the brand on the container's label sells any product at all which could be considered dangerous. They are very highly regarded purveyors of gourmet foods.)
It does go to show though, that dried packaged mushrooms are indeed out there, which seems to be contrary to other information in this forum. I concede however, that I may have misunderstood. JMO

 

[LordMo]

I tried early on to imagine a scenario in which she could be totally innocent here, and I can't think of a viable one.

part of it is that I haven't been keeping up so I don't want to speak authoritatively. My personal feeling is that she's guilty as all-get-out but I haven't sat down to sort out what was a reputable statement and what wasn't, so I don't want to comment, especially for a case that has speculation from all sorts of vague sources in the news media.

But, yes, from what I do understand, she's either a remarkably dumb criminal or a staggeringly stupid innocent fool.

 

[Kemug]

This piece was written by journalists Mark and Brooke…

Mark Buttler is an award-winning crime journalist for the Herald Sun and Brooke Grebert-Craig is a reporter for Leader Community News. She covers stories in the south east including courts, crime, developments and local initiatives.

They don’t mention whom their sources are, and nor are they obliged to. I trust that their reporting is as accurate as possible.

In my humble opinion, if the person of interest in this case was a danger to the larger community, she would be incarcerated or at least on bail; but clearly there is not enough evidence to warrant her arrest, at this time.

I'm sure that's true. However, even if EP is not thought to be a danger to the larger community, that is not to say that she is not dangerous to certain people. IMO

 

[Charlot123]

unless shes protecting someone who foraged with her? maybe there was a big basket full of wild mushrooms gathered and a couple of dc mixed in unnoticed, and that other person may have done the dehydrating?

I was thinking about it. A mistake of another kind. By protecting someone in this case, however, she is not making that person's life easier (there might be extreme guilt and fear). And surely digging for herself - not a pit, but a ravine.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

*Reviewing: What is the significance of the bolded? What is she referring to as ‘the background’? What is she not telling us what we don’t understand?

Patterson served beef wellington, an English dish made of steak coated with pâté and duxelles (a mushroom paste), wrapped in a puff pastry.

Patterson denies any wrongdoing. “I am now wanting to clear up the record because I have become extremely stressed and overwhelmed by the deaths of my loved ones. I am hoping this statement might help in some ways,” she stated. “I believe if people understood the background more, they would not be so quick to rush to judgment. I am now devastated to think that these mushrooms may have contributed to the illness suffered by my loved ones. I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people whom I loved.”

Police say that all four guests showed symptoms consistent with poisoning by death cap mushrooms, a deadly variety native to Europe. Patterson denied any wrongdoing when speaking to reporters last week. “I didn’t do anything,” she said, adding that she was “devastated” by the deaths. She also told reporters, “I can’t believe that this has happened and I’m so sorry.” She said Gail, Heather, and Don were “some of the best people I ever met,” and “they never did anything wrong to me.” She described Gail as “the mother I never had.”

The Woman at the Center of the Family Mushroom Poisoning Gives Her Statement

"I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people whom I loved," she said.

katiecouric.com

 

[Ellery84]

I'm sure that's true. However, even if EP is not thought to be a danger to the larger community, that is not to say that she is not dangerous to certain people. IMO

That’s why I said “in my humble opinion” because I don’t have the expertise to know either way.

 

[Forest_Wood]

I did a deep dive into the various mushrooms that are poisonous and one effect that stuck out is that it is the amanita phalloides that affects the liver and kidneys. Other amanitas cause gastrointestinal distress but it’s the death caps which essentially liquify the liver.

Also widely reported is that amanita phalloides is responsible for 90% of all mushroom poisonings and approximately 30% of those cases result in death. But beyond that what relevance is there in questioning whether a different fungus is the cause of the illness and deaths?

IOW what would it change in terms of the case? Please understand I’m not trying to argue but rather I’m looking for something I may have missed.

I think most people want to know the truth.

 

[Ellery84]

“I believe if people understood the background more, they would not be so quick to rush to judgment. I am now devastated to think that these mushrooms may have contributed to the illness suffered by my loved ones. I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people whom I loved.”

“If people understood the background more, they would not be so quick to rush to judgement….”

What is the background? Is she going to tell us?

And she had no reason to hurt these people who she loved; ok, I get that - then how did they get hurt?

 

[investikater]

Hello there. I am a mushroom person, so I have been following the case in the news, but I'm late to the party on here. Is it worth me reading through... 291! pages of discussion so far? Or any websleuth highlights I should know about?

 

[Ellery84]

Hello there. I am a mushroom person, so I have been following the case in the news, but I'm late to the party on here. Is it worth me reading through... 291! pages of discussion so far? Or any websleuth highlights I should know about?

Hey there.

I would start googling Wayne Flower, Daily Mail and have a read through of his articles on the topic so far, he’s really been chasing down this story hard.

Maybe start at the beginning of the thread, the first 50 pages or so are quite interesting x

Ellery


IMO

 

[Sjöberg]

And she had no reason to hurt these people who she loved; ok, I get that - then how did they get hurt?

This is actually one thing that's nagging at me (other than the absence of facts, but that will improve).
I cannot see a motive I would believe.

Of course, not all crimes make sense. Therefore it's also annoying to me as I work in mental health, that I cannot see a mental health background I would think as more likely than the others. And my theories vary wildly (from something Munchausen-like to just being depressed and being bad with social stuff, from experiencing psychotic symptoms to being a domestic abuse victim).

What would be the reason for EP to (try to) kill DP, GP, HW & IW? What would EP gain from killing them?

Please do not lynch me - I am not saying she must be innocent. She might be guilty, it is not unlikely. But I just cannot piece it together and it is not something I feel too often in these stories.

 

[jjleroche]

It's been reported here many times that it's very easy to mistake DC mushrooms for common edible mushrooms. So it's not stupidity at all.

I agree with you Forest_Wood.

The Australian Capital Territory Dept. of Health website states "It can be extremely difficult to distinguish death cap mushrooms from edible mushrooms, even for experienced collectors."

It also states "There have been multiple incidents and fatalities associated with death cap mushrooms in the ACT."

Death cap mushrooms

Information about the danger associated with consuming death cap mushrooms.

www.health.act.gov.au