THE version of events the mum who cooked a fatal mushroom lunch told cops has raised questions over a number of contradictions.
Erin Patterson, 48, this week admitted lying to cops after three people died following a feast at her home in Leongatha, Australia.
Erin Patterson admitted lying to cops after serving the lunchNews.com.au
The mum-of-two invited Gail and Don Patterson, her former in-laws, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson and her husband Ian over for a beef wellington on July 29.
But after eating the meal, the guests became violently ill and Gail and Don, both 70, and Heather, 66, later died.
Ian has been in hospital fighting for his life since eating the deadly dish served by Erin.
Cops said the people who died had symptoms of having eaten death cap mushrooms – and last week confirmed Erin was being treated as a suspect.
It’s claimed she held the lunch in a bid to try and win back her estranged ex-husband Simon Patterson, who is understood to have pulled out last minute.
According to a source close to the case, an ambulance worker alerted investigators after a conversation they with one of the victims shortly before they died.
Erin – who denies any wrongdoing – has now hit out, claiming she is “being painted as an evil witch”.
She told the Herald Sun she had become a prisoner in her home – branding the coverage of the case “unfair”.
This week, she gave a detailed account of her version of events for the first time in a statement to police – which she has denied leaking,
But her statement to cops has raised seven questions.
Who was at the lunch?
Initial reports said Erin’s two children, who she shares with ex Steve, were at the lunch.
Questions were raised over why they and Erin did not get ill.
But in her statement, Erin said the kids had gone to the cinema before the gathering.
She claimed her children ate the leftovers the following night – but the kids don’t like mushrooms so she scraped them off.
Who got sick after the dinner?
After confirming three people had died, cops said Erin did not get sick.
Homicide detectives made Erin a person of interest as she cooked the meal and did not have symptoms of poisoning.
Speaking earlier this month, Victoria Police Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said: “She hasn’t presented with any symptoms but we have to keep an open mind in relation to this, that it could be very innocent but again we just don’t know at this point.”
But in her police statement this week, Erin claimed she did become ill.
She said she was taken by ambulance from the Leongatha Hospital to the Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne on July 31.
Gippsland Southern Health Service confirmed a fifth person came to Leongatha Hospital on July 30 with suspected food poisoning.
NineHeather Wilkinson (left) died after the lunch while her husband, Ian, is fighting for his life[/caption]
NineDon Patterson also died[/caption]
NineGail Patterson, Erin’s former mother-in-law, died after eating the meal at Erin’s home[/caption]
Where the mushrooms came from?
Erin initially told cops that she picked up the mushrooms from a local shop in the Leongatha area.
Her neighbour told the Herald Sun that locals didn’t forage for wild mushrooms because they “know the danger”.
But Erin has since claimed she got the mushrooms from two different stores.
She said she bought button mushrooms from a major supermarket chain near her home, and dried mushrooms from an Asian grocery store in Mount Waverley months before.
But despite her claims she bought the fungus from shops in the state, Victoria’s Health Department has no health alerts for any mushroom sales.
Asian shops and mushroom growers in the area have also not had any issues reported to them, and none of their mushroom products have been recalled, reports the Herald Sun.
Who broke off the relationship?
Friends said Erin organised the lunch in a bid to win her ex back.
A source close to Simon claimed Erin was desperate to get back with him – and suggested the lunch was an “intervention” from his family.
The friend said his family were concerned and described the get-together as a “mediation”.
The pal told Daily Mail Australia: “She wanted to get back with Simon and the family didn’t want Simon to get back with her.
“This wasn’t just a lunch, it was an intervention with the pastor as mediator. That’s why this lunch happened.
“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.”
But Erin claims it was her who ended the relationship.
She said: “I had been close with Simon’s parents for a long period of time. Our relationship had continued in a fairly amicable way after I finished the relationship with their son Simon.
“Our relationship was affected to some degree by seeing them less after my marriage breakdown with Simon however I have never felt differently towards his parents.”
NineCops said the people who died had symptoms of having eaten death cap mushrooms[/caption]
Erin’s ex-husband Simon was supposed to go to the lunch – but pulled out at the last minute
When did Simon pull out?
Sources close to the case revealed Erin invited her estranged husband Simon to join his parents for lunch at their former family home.
But pals said he pulled out of the get-together at the last minute.
A friend of Simon told Daily Mail Australia: “Simon was supposed to go to the lunch but couldn’t make it at the last minute.”
In her statement, however, Erin contradicted this and said Simon had told her “prior to the day” that he would not be coming.
Simon said he almost died from a mystery stomach illness last year.
A pal claimed he “suspected” Erin had tried to poison him through an “ingested toxin”.
The family friend told the Herald Sun: “Simon suspected he had been poisoned by Erin.
“There were times he had felt… a bit off and it often coincided when he spent time with her.”
Simon revealed that he almost died in May last year from a mystery illness.
He said he collapsed at home and was placed into an induced coma.
What happened to the food dehydrator?
Erin has given conflicting accounts of what happened to her food dehydrator.
Cops immediately seized a food dehydrator from a tip, believed to have been used to prepare the mushrooms.
Erin told police she had dumped her food dehydrator at a local tip “a long time ago”.
But this week she admitted that was a lie.
Erin said she was at the hospital with her kids “discussing the food dehydrator” when her ex-husband asked: “Is that what you used to poison them?”
Worried she might lose custody of the couple’s children, Erin said she then panicked and dumped the dehydrator at the tip.
Why did Erin decide to give a statement after a ‘no comment’ interview?
When first interviewed by cops, Erin responded “no comment” to their questions.
She said she found the interview “terrifying and anxiety-provoking”.
But now, days later, Erin has claimed she was advised to give a “no comment” interview to police immediately after the deaths.
She has since given a statement to cops – despite saying she was urged to not give comment.
Erin 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.
“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.
“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.”
NineErin’s home where the fatal meal was served[/caption]