An Australian woman, Erin Patterson, is standing trial for allegedly killing three family members and injuring a fourth with deadly mushrooms. Prosecutors claim she deliberately poisoned her guests, while her defense lawyers argue that the deaths were an “unfortunate accident”.
Patterson hosted her relatives at her home in July 2023, claiming to discuss a medical issue. She told them she had cancer and sought their advice on how to break the news to her children. The prosecution alleges this was a ruse to keep the children away from the meal.
During the meal, Patterson served individual beef wellingtons with mushrooms. Her guests fell ill hours later and were hospitalized, prompting a police investigation. Patterson claims she was poisoned herself but was not severely ill.
Prosecutors point to cell data showing Patterson visiting an area where death cap mushroom sightings had been reported online. She also posted about dehydrating mushrooms before the incident. However, her defense lawyers argue that these actions are explained by her panic after realizing her guests were ill.
The defense claims Patterson did not intend to cause harm and was overwhelmed by the situation. “Three people died because of the food she served that day,” her lawyer Colin Mandy said. The case is ongoing, with prosecutors alleging Patterson’s actions were deliberate and premeditated.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/30/australia/australia-mushroom-poisoning-trial-intl-hnk/index.html