An Australian woman is on trial for allegedly poisoning her in-laws and relatives with deadly mushrooms during what she described as a "special meal".
Erin Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one of attempted murder following a lunch at her home in July 2023.
The case has drawn global attention as prosecutors allege Patterson deliberately poisoned her guests with death cap mushrooms in beef Wellington.
Her defence team maintains the poisoning was "a terrible accident" and that she never intended to cause harm.
Erin Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one of attempted murder following a lunch at her home in July 2023
Reuters
Property owned by Erin Patterson in the town of Leongatha, south-east of Melbourne
Photo by MELL CHUN/AFP via Getty Images
Patterson invited her estranged husband's family to lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, telling them she had a health issue to discuss.
Her husband Simon declined, texting that he felt "uncomfortable" attending.
Patterson replied she was "disappointed" as she wanted to prepare a "special meal" that she might not be able to have "for some time".
During the lunch, Patterson claimed to have cancer and asked for advice about telling her children.
The guests prayed together for her recovery.
Prosecutors told the court Patterson served her guests beef Wellington on grey dinner plates, while using a smaller, orange plate for herself.
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During the lunch, Patterson claimed to have cancer and asked for advice about telling her children
NineWithin hours of the lunch, all four guests developed severe symptoms including diarrhoea and vomiting.
They were rushed to hospital where doctors diagnosed them with death cap mushroom poisoning.
Don and Gail Patterson, the parents of Erin's estranged husband, both died in hospital.
Heather Wilkinson, Gail's sister, also died from the poisoning.
Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband and a local pastor, was the only survivor after spending nearly two months in hospital.
He required a liver transplant to save his life.
Patterson also went to hospital two days after the lunch claiming she was unwell, but medical tests showed no signs of illness.
Police found beef Wellington remnants at Patterson's home containing traces of death cap mushrooms.
The trial is expected to last about six weeks
Reuters
Patterson initially claimed she used fresh mushrooms from a supermarket and dried mushrooms from an Asian grocery.
However, a Department of Health investigation could not trace any shop selling death cap mushrooms.
Days after the lunch, Patterson discarded a food dehydrator, which was later found to contain traces of death cap mushrooms.
Police discovered she had travelled to locations where poisonous mushrooms were known to grow.
Investigators also found Patterson had used different SIM cards for her phone.
Her children, who ate leftovers with the mushroom paste scraped off, showed no symptoms of poisoning.
Patterson's lawyer Colin Mandy told the court the poisoning was "a tragedy and a terrible accident".
"She didn't do it deliberately. She didn't do it intentionally. The defence case is that she didn't intend to cause anyone any harm on that day," he said.
Mandy acknowledged his client had "panicked" after the lunch because she was "overwhelmed" by her guests becoming ill from food she served.
While Patterson initially "lied" to police about foraging for mushrooms, she later admitted doing so.
"She denies that she ever deliberately sought out death cap mushrooms," Mandy said.
The trial is expected to last about six weeks.
