ANP Productions | Source: ANP
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Leongatha
An Australian woman has been charged with murder after serving her in-laws and two others poisonous mushrooms at a lunch. Three people died, the fourth was in hospital for months.
Erin Patterson, 49, had made beef wellington in late July for her estranged parents-in-law and for his mother-in-law’s sister and her husband. Only the latter, a pastor, survived. According to police, they all showed symptoms of eating the green tuber amanita. That is one of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world, which is also called ‘death cap’ in English.
Patterson was arrested at her home in Leongatha, near Melbourne, on Thursday. She denies that the poisonings were on purpose and says she unknowingly bought the mushrooms in an Asian supermarket. She would also have been treated in the hospital after the meal in question, ABC News writes.
A lot of fuss
The case has caused a stir in Australia. According to the police, Patterson has often served suspicious food. In addition to the murders, she is also charged with three counts of attempted murder for incidents in 2021 and 2022.
The green tuber amanite grows wild in Australia. The poisonous mushroom reportedly tastes slightly sweeter than other mushrooms, but slowly poisons the liver and kidneys.
