Erin Patterson, the woman who cooked the mushroom lunch that’s believed to have killed three people, has detailed her recount of events in a lengthy statement provided to police.
To quickly recap: On July 29, the Leongatha woman hosted a lunch with her former in-laws Gail and Don Patterson, along with Gail’s sister Heather and her husband, Reverend Ian Wilkinson. The four guests fell ill, with Gail, Don and Heather tragically dying from what is suspected to be poisoning from wild “death cap” mushrooms.
Ian remains in critical condition.
On Monday, ABC News reported that in a written statement on August 11, Erin said she wanted to remedy her initial “no comment” interview with police.
“I now very much regret not answering some questions following this advice given the nightmare that this process has become,” the 48-year-old said.
“I am now wanting to clear up the record because I have become extremely stressed and overwhelmed by the deaths of my loved ones.”
Erin detailed how she’d purchased the mushrooms at a supermarket and Asian grocery store months prior to cooking a beef Wellington meal for herself and four guests.
Contrary to reports, she said her children were not present for the meal because they had gone to the movies. They did, however, eat leftovers the following night, although Erin claims to have discarded the mushrooms due to her kids not liking them.
The statement explained that Erin allowed the guests to choose their own plates before taking the last serving for herself.
The Victorian woman also said it had not been reported that she was also hospitalised after consuming the meal. She claimed to have experienced bad stomach pains and diarrhoea and was put on a saline drip and given a “liver protective drug”.
Per ABC, the Gippsland Southern Health Service confirmed a fifth person who presented at Leongatha Hospital on July 30 with suspected food poisoning later returned and was sent to Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne the following day.
“I am hoping this statement might help in some way. I believe if people understood the background more, they would not be so quick to rush to judgement,” Erin said.
“I am now devastated to think that these mushrooms may have contributed to the illness suffered by my loved ones. I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people whom I loved.”
The statement comes as homicide police continue to investigate the deaths, with Erin confirming she will assist police, with the potential of being re-interviewed.
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