Family lunch mystery grips nation as three dead and one fighting for life

In her wake, Australia remains torn between respecting the privacy of a family member grieving a tragic accident and prying into a potentially ‘nefarious’ whodunnit.

Erin, 48, is alleged to have prepared lunch on July 29 for her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, as well as Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson and her husband Ian.

While Erin is estranged from her ex-husband Simon, the Patterson’s son, Gail and Don had been keen on seeing their two grandchildren at the lunch in Leongatha, southeast of Melbourne.

All four lunch guests were residents of the nearby town, Korumburra, in Victoria’s Gippsland region, where Ian was the local pastor of the Baptist church.

All four guests would be hospitalised that day, first taken to a local hospital on suspected gastro before being transferred to the Austin hospital in Melbourne when symptoms intensified.

Heather, 66, and Gail, 60, passed away in hospital on Friday, with Don, 70, dying later on Saturday.

Ian, 68, remains in a critical condition in hospital as he awaits a liver transplant.

Police believe that all four guests ate death cap mushrooms, also known as Amanita phalloides, which are lethal if ingested.

However, Erin and her two children have no symptoms, with police confirming that the children ate a different meal.

Investigators said they are unsure if Erin ate the same meal as her lunch guests, or if the mushrooms were included in the dish that she served.

Erin’s children have since been taken into state care and the police have refused to rule out “nefarious activity”.

Dean Thomas, Victoria Police Detective Inspector for the Homicide Squad, told reporters on Monday: "At this point in time, the deaths are unexplained.

"It could be very innocent, but we just don't know."

As a media circus camped out around the fateful home, Erin was seen loading suitcases into a car and driving away.

Before leaving, a teary-eyed Erin told reporters that she “can’t fathom what has happened” and declined to answer any questions about the meal.

She said: "I didn't do anything; I loved them and I'm devastated that they're gone.

“Gail was like the mum I didn't have because my mum passed away four years ago and Gail had never been anything but good and kind to me.”

“Ian and Heather were some of the best people I'd ever met. They never did anything wrong to me.”

Homicide detectives are said to have searched the property on Saturday, while The Age reported that police had conducted forensic tests on a dehydrator found at a nearby tip on Tuesday.

Reports have also emerged about a mystery gut illness that left Erin’s ex-husband, Simon Patterson, in intensive care for three weeks last year.

In a statement, the victim’s families paid tribute to them as “cherished individuals” and “beloved family members”.

In a statement published in the South Gippsland Sentinel Times, the families said: “They were parents, grandparents, siblings, children and pillars of faith within our community.

“Their love, steadfast faith, and selfless service have left an indelible mark on our families, the Korumburra Baptist Church, the local community, and indeed, people around the globe.”

Death cap mushrooms are said to be responsible for 90 per cent of lethal mushroom poisonings globally, with a piece the size of a stamp being enough to kill an adult if eaten.

Authorities have issued warnings over wild mushrooms, reminding foragers that death cap mushrooms are easily mistaken for edible mushrooms.

In 2020, a spate of mushroom poisonings hospitalised eight people in Victoria, one of whom passed away.

On mushrooms, the homicide squad’s Dean Thomas said: "If you haven't purchased them from a supermarket, perhaps stay clear of them.”