‘Fifth person’ went to hospital after mushroom lunch

A mysterious detail has emerged in the case of the four people struck down with suspected mushroom poisoning in Leongatha.

Three people are dead after lunch with Erin Patterson. Picture: Brooke Grebert-Craig

A mysterious detail has emerged in the case of the four people struck down with suspected mushroom poisoning.

Three people died and a fourth is fighting for life after they ate a meal prepared by Erin Patterson on July 29.

Ms Patterson, 48, cooked a beef wellington pie for her in-laws Gail and Don Patterson, Gail’s sister Helen Wilkinson and her husband Ian, the local pastor.

She is being investigated by police after Gail, Don and Heather died from suspected death cap mushroom poisoning.

Ian is gravely ill and needs a liver transplant.

Three people are dead after lunch with Erin Patterson. Picture: Brooke Grebert-Craig

Ms Patterson has maintained her innocence and police have said the case is “complex” and there could be a “very innocent” explanation.

The day after the lunch at Ms Patterson’s home, four people were admitted to either the Korumburra or Leongatha hospitals. Both hospitals are part of Gippsland Southern Health Service.

Inspector Thomas said the group demonstrated food poisoning-type symptoms and were later taken to Austin Hospital in Melbourne.

However, local newspaper the Southern Gippsland Sentinel-Times has reported that a fifth person was discharged, after a short presentation at the Leongatha Hospital, on Sunday, July 30.

Aside from the four lunch guests, the only other adult at the lunch was Ms Patterson.

It raises questions about why Ms Patterson went to hospital, if she wasn’t unwell.

Her two children were also thought to be present but did not eat the meal and did not fall ill.

Korumburra pastor Ian Wilkinson is seriously ill while his wife Heather Wilkinson died. Picture: Supplied (Facebook)

Talking to the media outside her home this week, Ms Patterson said she “didn’t do anything”. She said she “loved” her in-laws, with Gail being like a mother to her, adding that she was “devastated” by the deaths.

She didn’t answer any questions about what, if any, mushrooms were served at the meal or if she consumed them.

Ms Patterson’s estranged husband Simon Patterson was supposed to also be at the meal but pulled out, a close friend told the Daily Mail.

“They went to her house for a mediation to talk to the family. Simon was supposed to go there for lunch but he pulled out in the last minute otherwise he would be in that death bed too,” the friend said, adding that Simon was not interested in getting back with the mother of his children.

Death cap mushrooms.

The friend told the publicationthat Mr Patterson’s family was worried about Ms Patterson’s “mental state” so they accepted the lunch invitation to “make sure she was in the right mental health to resume a relationship with Simon”.

“This wasn’t just a lunch, it was an intervention with the pastor as mediator. That’s why this lunch happened,” the friend said.

Police in Victoria found a dehydrator at a local tip which is being forensically analysed to see if it is related to the deaths.

Last weekend, Ms Patterson was interviewed by police while her home was searched.

According to 7 News, she initially told police that she picked up the mushrooms from a local shop in the Leongatha area.

In the past there have been claims that death cap mushrooms have mistakenly been sold at shops.

However, mushroom poisonings are usually because they have been picked wild with them looking similar to some edible mushrooms.

The deaths have rocked Leongatha, south east of Melbourne. Picture: Ian Currie

On social media, Mr Patterson said he had to be put into an induced coma last year following a sudden gut illness.

In a social media post, Mr Patterson revealed he almost died as a result of the mystery illness.

“I collapsed at home, then was in an induced coma for 16 days through which I had three emergency operations mainly on my small intestine, plus an additional planned operation,” he wrote.

“My family were asked to come and say goodbye to me twice, as I was not expected to live.”

Mr Patterson said the “serious gut problems” had seemed to be fixed but one shoulder remained weak.

In the social media post he thanks Ms Patterson for her support. The pair are separated but remain “amicable”.

Death cap mushrooms can be responsible for serious, fatal damage to the liver and kidneys. They can cause abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea but much of the damage can be done before symptoms occur.