About three months after three people died of suspected mushroom poisoning at a family dinner in Australia, the hostess was arrested. The 49-year-old was taken from her home southeast of Melbourne by homicide detectives on Thursday, police said. The home and property were also searched with the help of sniffer dogs.
After questioning, the woman was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder on the same day.
This includes other similar cases from 2021 and 2022 that have only now come to light, local media report. The victim is said to have been the 49-year-old’s ex-husband at the time. He always got sick after eating. She herself denies the accusations.
At the end of July, the 49-year-old invited her ex-husband’s parents (both 70), her ex-mother-in-law’s sister (66) and her husband (68) for dinner. Beef Wellington was served, tenderloin in crispy puff pastry, refined with mushrooms. Days later the guests came to the hospital with severe stomach cramps, three of them died: The ex-in-laws and the 66-year-old. Her husband survived.
Forensic examination revealed that the food contained a poisonous mushroom. It is said to have been the infamous green death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides), also known as the “death cap”. The 49-year-old said at the time that she also had complaints. She was taken to hospital with severe stomach pain and diarrhea, where she was given an IV and ‘liver-protective medication’.
Erin Patterson said before the cameras that she was devastated by the deaths of these loved ones. She later explained that she made the Wellington fillet with both fresh mushrooms from a supermarket and dried mushrooms from an Asian store.
The arrest was “just the next step in a complex and thorough investigation” that has not yet been completed, the lead investigator said Thursday before the woman was taken into custody. At the same time, he warned against hasty conclusions. The case made major headlines in Australia and internationally. (yam/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
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