Mushroom poisoning in Australia: What is the mysterious case that turned family lunch into tragedy?

A mysterious tale of a family of five members in the small Australian town of Leongatha has shaken the island nation. The family met over lunch and within a week, three were dead, a fourth is fighting for life and the fifth is under investigation for poisoning the other four.

But the 48-year-old woman who cooked the lunch says she has no idea what happened, and that she loved her family dearly and would never do something like this. The case has also left the police flabbergasted. Homicide detectives are still trying to work out if a mushroom poisoning, which killed three people, is suspicious or not.

Mushroom poisoning deaths? Here’s what the case is all about

The tragic incident started when Gail and Don Patterson stopped for lunch with their grandkids at their daughter-in-law Erin Patterson’s house in Leongatha, a town southeast of Melbourne. They were then joined by Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson and her husband Ian Wilkinson.

All four sat over lunch, but it was no ordinary lunch. Hours after the meal, all four guests took themselves to the local hospital with what they first believed was severe gastro.

Within hours it became clear that it was something much worse, and they were transferred to a hospital in Melbourne.

Heather (66) and Gail (70) died on Friday. Don (70) died on Saturday and Ian (68) remains in a critical condition in hospital, awaiting a liver transplant.

At first, police believed the four ate death cap mushrooms, which are highly lethal if ingested. But strangely, both of Erin’s children are just fine.

Police say both kids - who have since been taken into state care as a "precaution", ate altogether a different meal. Investigators are not even sure whether Erin consumed the same meal or not.

They also pointed out that she was separated from her husband - who is Patterson's son, but described it as an "amicable" separation.

"At this point in time, the deaths are unexplained," the homicide squad's Dean Thomas told reporters on Monday.

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

Erin Patterson is still in disbelief at what has happened. Crying as she spoke to reporters outside of her home, she declined to answer questions about what meals were served to which guests or where the mushrooms had come from.

"I didn't do anything; I loved them”, said Erin.

(With inputs from agencies)

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