Australian woman charged with murder over mushroom lunch that killed 3 people
- Erin Patterson, who has claimed innocence, served the death cap mushrooms in July to her estranged parents-in-law, a local pastor and his wife
- Within a week, three of them were dead and a fourth person survived after spending nearly two months gravely ill in hospital
“A 49-year-old woman was arrested this morning and interviewed by police,” said Natalie Webster of Victoria Police.
“The Leongatha woman has subsequently been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.”
Victoria state police also charged the woman with five counts of attempted murder - two related to the meal on July 29 this year and three related to separate incidents in 2021 and 2022 when they said a 48-year-old man became ill following meals.
This the latest twist in a saga that has gripped the nation and thrust the spotlight on the small rural town of Leongatha, 110km (70 miles) southwest of Melbourne.
Police said they arrested Erin Patterson, 49, in the morning and began a search of her home with the help of “technology detector dogs”, which can sniff out electronic devices such as USB keys.