Her murderous bluff and the poisonous design that was carved could easily be a movie script, but it’s a true story. A woman in Australia She said she had cancer to bring her ex -husband’s family to the death table. He poisoned them with deadly mushrooms.
50 -year -old Erin Patterson sat in the dock of the Victoria Supreme Court in Australia after one seemingly innocent family table turned into a tragedy. Accused of assassination of three relatives of her ex -husband and the attempted murder of a quarter, after serving them with toxic mushrooms.
So what did he do? She falsely told her guests that she had been diagnosed with cancer, In order to persuade them to come to her home while taking care to keep her two children away from the table. Lunch included veal fillet (beef Wellington), puree and beans – And, as it turned out, the death of three people. The trial, which reveals shocking details continues and expected to last six weeks. Erin Patterson herself talks about a tragic accident.
The case has shocked Australia, with revelations including a false diagnosis of cancer, odd social media posts and security cameras that boost the indictment.
The poisonous and excellently organized plan
According to what was heard in the trial, Patterson invited her ex -husband’s family to her home in Leongatha at 29 July 2023, saying he wanted to share a serious medical diagnosis with them: That he had cancer.
The guests were Her mother -in -law, Gail and Don Patterson, and her sister Gail, Heather Wilkinson, with her husband Jan. The first three died, while the Jan Wilkinson were the only one who survivedafter underwent a liver transplant.
THE her ex -husband, Simon Patterson, He was also invited to the table but – for his good luck – he didn’t go. Himself – the second day of the trial expected to take 6 weeks – his father said had ‘folded from pain’ when he went to the hospital and a few hours before leaving his last breath.
Patterson told relatives that she had ovaries in the ovaries and that she wanted to discuss with them how to tell the children – who, as she stressed, should not be present at lunch.
OR Prosecutor Nanet Rogers He said there was no medical indication that Patterson had cancer, nor that she had eaten the mushrooms herself. In addition, he presented receipts from Patterson posts in Facebook teamswhere she said she dries mushrooms and adds them to all foods – even to chocolate brunts for her children.
The prosecution presented and Photo of a security camerain which Patterson appears to fly a black device that dries food in a rubbish dust a few days after a meal. The device was found, examined, and traces of deadly mushrooms were found, as well as its fingerprints.
Prosecutor Navet Rogers argued that Patterson acted with murderous intent And, knowingly, she used poisonous mushrooms.
The different dish
Heather Wilkinson – one of the three victims of the host of death – before being taken to the hospital, had expressed her concern to Simon Patterson because Erin ate a different dish from those who served to the guests, a detail.
«I noticed that Erin put her food on a different dish than us. Her own had colors. I wondered why she did that. I am concerned since then, “said Heather Wilkinson.
Simon Patterson told his aunt that perhaps his ex -wife was just out of dishes. Two days after lunch, Erin Patterson went to the hospital with symptoms of diarrhea and nausea.
Until then, doctors had already diagnosed with deadly mushroom poisoning.
Doctors asked her two children to be examined, then 9 and 14 years old, because their mother had reported that they had eaten the leftovers. Patterson stated that Children were safeas he removed the mushrooms from the meat before giving them. She even explained that her children do not like mushrooms.
“The defendant said he did not want to mess with the children,” Prosecutor Rogers said. “It didn’t seem to be so concerned about their health as it could upset them,” he added.
The Prosecuting Authority also argued that the Erin Patterson did not eat from poisoned mushrooms and did not give her children the same food as the guests.
The health authorities handled the case as an isolated incident, without recalling mushroom products, the prosecutor said.
Declares innocent
The accused admitted that he lied to the police As to whether she had ever gathered the same mushrooms, but she denies that she knew the deadly nature of the particular.
He also argued that some mushrooms bought them dried by Asian grocery, but did not remember who, nor has he kept proof of transactions.
The defendant said innocently, while her defense argues that ‘Panicked’ when she realized that she served her poison unintentionally poisoned by her loved ones.
Colin Madi’s lawyer argued that this is about tragic accident And how his client had no motivation and no intention of causing harm.
She admitted, however, that her behavior was contradictory and that she was lying because of panic.
Trial is expected to last six weeks.
Erin Patterson is accused of three homicides and one attempt to homicide. Penalty for homicide is life imprisonment, While the attempt can bring about up to 25 years in prison.
Information from mirror