Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #9 *Arrest*

[drsleuth]

Just now

Child protection worker was told Patterson children ate lunch leftovers​

​

By Judd Boaz​

Ms Cripps says Erin reported that her children had eaten leftovers of the meal the following day.

Erin claimed she had scraped the mushrooms off the dish for the children, Ms Cripps says.

She also told the court about Erin's reported illness.

"She said that she had started to feel unwell that evening … she was experiencing loose bowel movements," Ms Cripps says.

Ms Cripps says when Erin later took her son to the shops, she did not want to get out of the car and preferred to remain seated to prevent incontinence.

Juror dismissed in Erin Patterson murder trial — as it happened

Erin Patterson faces three charges of murder in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts. She's accused of killing three relatives by serving them beef Wellington containing poisonous mushrooms. Follow the events as they happened in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

 

[drsleuth]

now11.44 AEST
Cripps recalls Patterson saying a dispute over Simon listing himself as “separated” on his tax return in late 2022 had led to a strain in the pair’s relationship.

She says Patterson described her relationship with Simon’s parents:

She said that Don and Gail had been like the parents she hadn’t had... They’d always treated her like a daughter in law... that relationship had changed recently. She felt isolated from them.


She said the relationship between her and Simon had changed.

Erin Patterson trial day 12 – as it happened

This blog is now closed

www.theguardian.com

 

[drsleuth]

Just now

Erin did not eat all of the lunch, worker says​

By Judd Boaz​

Ms Cripps says Erin said she had consented to have the meal leftovers collected from her bin.

Ms Lenthall then asks her if Erin had said how much of the meal she had eaten.

"She did not eat it all," Ms Cripps says.

Juror dismissed in Erin Patterson murder trial — as it happened

Erin Patterson faces three charges of murder in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts. She's accused of killing three relatives by serving them beef Wellington containing poisonous mushrooms. Follow the events as they happened in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

 

[drsleuth]

Was Ian asked if Erin ate all her meal??

 

[drsleuth]

1m ago11.52 AEST
Asked about how Patterson described her relationship with Simon, Cripps says she described Simon as “controlling” and “emotionally abusive”:

She did say they had a good relationship until recently.

Cripps is asked what Patterson said about the lunch on 29 July 2023:

She said it was a great lunch and that the kids were there as well.


That she had been missing them and she wanted to reconnect with them and see them.

Cripps says Patterson said she wanted to discuss a medical issue at the lunch.

Cripps says Patterson told her she found the beef wellington recipe in a RecipeTin[Eats] cookbook.

She says Patterson said she “wanted to do something new and special”.

She says Patterson said she bought pre-sliced mushrooms from Woolworths and dried mushrooms from an Asian grocer.

Cripps recalls Patterson telling her that mushrooms from an Asian grocer would “add a nice flavour to the beef wellington”.

Patterson said the children had eaten the leftovers of the lunch but she had scraped off the mushrooms for them, she says.

Erin Patterson trial day 12 – as it happened

This blog is now closed

www.theguardian.com

 

[MsMarple]

Just now

Erin did not eat all of the lunch, worker says​

​

By Judd Boaz​

Ms Cripps says Erin said she had consented to have the meal leftovers collected from her bin.

Ms Lenthall then asks her if Erin had said how much of the meal she had eaten.

"She did not eat it all," Ms Cripps says.

Juror dismissed in Erin Patterson murder trial — as it happened

Erin Patterson faces three charges of murder in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts. She's accused of killing three relatives by serving them beef Wellington containing poisonous mushrooms. Follow the events as they happened in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

Well that explains the untainted leftovers collected from the garbage.

 

[drsleuth]

Just now

Department of Health investigation into mushrooms​

By Judd Boaz​

On August 2, Ms Cripps says she spoke with Sally-Anne Atkinson, a Department of Health official.

Ms Atkinson told Ms Cripps that she was having difficulty getting a hold of Erin Patterson, and needed to speak with her to locate the Asian grocer where she had said she bought the mushrooms.

Ms Cripps says she was due to visit Erin's home for a pre-arranged visit, and would ask her to return the Department's calls.

When she visited, Erin called the Department back on speaker phone with Ms Cripps present for the call.

Ms Cripps says she saw Erin scrolling on her phone attempting to trace the exact Asian grocery store she bought the mushrooms, with Erin eventually saying she could not find any card transaction.

She then told Ms Cripps she would probably have paid cash for a small transaction.

Juror dismissed in Erin Patterson murder trial — as it happened

Erin Patterson faces three charges of murder in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts. She's accused of killing three relatives by serving them beef Wellington containing poisonous mushrooms. Follow the events as they happened in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

 

[drsleuth]

Just now

Department of Health investigation into mushrooms​

​

By Judd Boaz​

On August 2, Ms Cripps says she spoke with Sally-Anne Atkinson, a Department of Health official.

Ms Atkinson told Ms Cripps that she was having difficulty getting a hold of Erin Patterson, and needed to speak with her to locate the Asian grocer where she had said she bought the mushrooms.

Ms Cripps says she was due to visit Erin's home for a pre-arranged visit, and would ask her to return the Department's calls.

When she visited, Erin called the Department back on speaker phone with Ms Cripps present for the call.

Ms Cripps says she saw Erin scrolling on her phone attempting to trace the exact Asian grocery store she bought the mushrooms, with Erin eventually saying she could not find any card transaction.

She then told Ms Cripps she would probably have paid cash for a small transaction.

Juror dismissed in Erin Patterson murder trial — as it happened

Erin Patterson faces three charges of murder in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts. She's accused of killing three relatives by serving them beef Wellington containing poisonous mushrooms. Follow the events as they happened in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

BBM : Pre-arranged from before the lunch????

 

[drsleuth]

Just now

Erin told worker she initially wanted to use mushrooms in pasta dish​

By Judd Boaz​

Ms Cripps tells the court she and Erin Patterson discussed the dried bag of mushrooms she said she had obtained from an Asian grocer.

Erin told Ms Cripps she was initially going to use the mushrooms in a carbonara around April, but when she opened them, they had a very strong smell.

Ms Cripps then says Erin explained a beef Wellington would be more suitable to use the mushrooms in.

"She felt they wouldn't be the primary flavour," Ms Cripps says.

"[She says] she rehydrated them and she mixed them up with the mushrooms she got from Woolworths."

Ms Cripps then asked Erin if she had picked the mushrooms, but says Erin did not answer, and was instead looking at her phone.

Juror dismissed in Erin Patterson murder trial — as it happened

Erin Patterson faces three charges of murder in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts. She's accused of killing three relatives by serving them beef Wellington containing poisonous mushrooms. Follow the events as they happened in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

 

[drsleuth]

1m ago

Court takes a break​

By Judd Boaz​

The prosecution concludes its initial questioning with child protection worker Katrina Cripps, and Justice Beale calls for a break.

Back with more from courtroom 4 shortly.

Juror dismissed in Erin Patterson murder trial — as it happened

Erin Patterson faces three charges of murder in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts. She's accused of killing three relatives by serving them beef Wellington containing poisonous mushrooms. Follow the events as they happened in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

Gees you'd think they could have skipped this break!

 

[Ellery84]

Ms Cripps tells the court she and Erin Patterson discussed the dried bag of mushrooms she said she had obtained from an Asian grocer.

Erin told Ms Cripps she was initially going to use the mushrooms in a carbonara around April, but when she opened them, they had a very strong smell.

Ms Cripps then says Erin explained a beef Wellington would be more suitable to use the mushrooms in.

"She felt they wouldn't be the primary flavour," Ms Cripps says.

"[She says] she rehydrated them and she mixed them up with the mushrooms she got from Woolworths."

Ms Cripps then asked Erin if she had picked the mushrooms, but says Erin did not answer, and was instead looking at her phone.



Live: Erin Patterson didn't answer when asked if she picked mushrooms, witness says

BBM

 

[Eloise]

BBM : Pre-arranged from before the lunch????

That was August 2, so after they'd met in the hospital for the first time I think? So probably arranged from that visit

 

[Ellery84]

1m ago

Court takes a break​

​

By Judd Boaz​

The prosecution concludes its initial questioning with child protection worker Katrina Cripps, and Justice Beale calls for a break.

Back with more from courtroom 4 shortly.

Juror dismissed in Erin Patterson murder trial — as it happened

Erin Patterson faces three charges of murder in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts. She's accused of killing three relatives by serving them beef Wellington containing poisonous mushrooms. Follow the events as they happened in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

Gees you'd think they could have skipped this break!

Where’s the cognitive stamina, tho?

 

[drsleuth]

Where’s the cognitive stamina, tho?

Well I guess they could have been working this am outside the presence of the jury, hence the late start?

 

[Detechtive]

Where’s the cognitive stamina, tho?

They worked very hard for those 20 minutes! Smoko time

 

[MsMarple]

Ms Cripps then asked Erin if she had picked the mushrooms, but says Erin did not answer, and was instead looking at her phone.

It reminds me of Erin’s interview with the reporters. Every time they asked about the lunch she’d rub her eyes while looking up, saying “I’m devastated” blah blah blah.

 

[drsleuth]

3m ago03.12 BST
Cripps says Patterson told her she did not eat all of the beef wellington meal.

Cripps says child protection determined Patterson’s two children would remain in the custody of their mother.

On 2 August, Cripps made arrangements to see Patterson, the court hears. She says:

The arrangement was to conduct a home visit.

Patterson’s children were at school during the home visit, the court hears.

During the visit, Cripps facilitated a conversation with a department of health employee who wanted to speak to Patterson about where she had sourced the mushrooms used in the beef wellington. The employee earlier that day told Cripps she could not get hold of Patterson, the court hears.

Cripps recalls what Patterson told the department of health official:

She could not recall where she purchased the mushrooms from.

She says Patterson looked at her online bank statements before she spoke to the department of health employee on the phone, the court hears.

Cripps says:

I saw her scrolling on her phone. I did not see the screen.

She says Patterson did not find a record of buying the mushrooms and said she may have paid cash because it was a small purchase.

1m ago12.14 AEST
Cripps says during the home visit, Patterson described the packaging of the dried mushrooms to her as “in a bag that was not re-sealable” with a white label.

Patterson said she had opened the bag previously but decided to not use the dried mushrooms, Cripps says.

Patterson said she was planning to use them in a carbonara dish but decided against it as they had a “strong smell”, Cripps says. She then placed them in a container, the court hears.

She says Patterson told her she decided to use the mushrooms with the strong smell in the beef wellington meal because they “wouldn’t be the primary flavour”.

Cripps says she asked Patterson if she picked the mushrooms used in the dish.

Prosecutor Sarah Lenthall asks Cripps if Patterson answered the question.

Cripps says she did not. She says Patterson was on her phone when she asked the question.

Erin Patterson trial day 12 – as it happened

This blog is now closed

www.theguardian.com

 

[browneyes]

DBM

 

[drsleuth]

So was Erin ignoring the phone calls from the Dept of Health, until she really had no option but to call them back ?

 

[Eloise]

The idea of just scrolling through my phone while being talked to by a child protection worker boggles my mind. JMO.