An Australian woman accused of a triple murder involving a toxic mushroom-laced beef Wellington had rarely invited her four guests to dine at her home previously, a court heard this morning.
Erin Patterson, aged 50, faces charges of murdering the parents and aunt of her estranged husband in July 2023 by serving them the pastry-and-beef dish containing death cap mushrooms.
She is also charged with the attempted murder of her husband’s uncle, who survived the meal after an extended hospital stay.
Ms. Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all allegations.
The teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, stated that his mother had hosted his paternal grandparents at her home “once before.”
Furthermore, she had “never” previously invited over Heather and Ian Wilkinson, his father’s aunt and uncle, according to the boy.
His mother’s relationship with the couple was described as “not negative, but it is not strong,” the youth informed the police.
The accused’s estranged husband, Simon Patterson, declined the invitation to lunch at her residence in the quiet Victoria state farm village of Leongatha.
Four members of his family attended: his parents, Don and Gail Patterson, along with his aunt and uncle.
While the guests dined, Ms. Patterson’s children went to a McDonald’s and the cinema.
Within hours after the meal, all four guests exhibited symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting and were taken to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed death cap mushroom poisoning.
Days later, three of the guests had died. Ian Wilkinson, a local pastor, survived after weeks of hospital treatment.
The teenager testified that his parents had a “very negative” relationship in the months leading up to the lunch.
“Dad does a lot of things to try to hurt mum, such as messing around with the school,” he mentioned.
Good cook
On the morning following the lunch, Ms. Patterson’s son noted she was “a little bit quieter” than usual, complaining of “feeling a bit sick and having diarrhoea.”
The family missed their local church service because “mum was feeling too sick,” he said.
That afternoon, Ms. Patterson drove him for an hour to his flying lesson, which got canceled last minute due to weather conditions.
Once they returned home, the boy stated Ms. Patterson hurried inside to use the bathroom.
That evening, Ms. Patterson and her children consumed what were said to be the leftovers of the beef Wellington.
The defendant claimed she removed the mushrooms because her children were picky eaters.
“It was probably some of the best meat I’ve ever had,” her teenage son remarked.
“Mum said it was leftovers.”
Jurors also heard a recording of a police interview with Ms. Patterson’s daughter, then nine, who stated her mum was a good cook.
“We make cupcakes and muffins,” she shared.
The girl, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, said she did not fall ill from eating the purported leftovers.
The prosecution contends that Ms. Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests, ensuring that neither she nor her children ingested the deadly mushrooms.
Her defense argues it was “a terrible accident” and that Ms. Patterson consumed the same meal as the others but did not become as ill.
The trial is expected to continue for another five weeks.
