Kathleen Joyce Heggs appears at Parramatta court on murder charges
The parents of two boys who were allegedly killed in Coonabarabran this week paid tribute to their sons, just as the police announced the murder charges against Heggs.
Samantha Heggs and Troy Johnson told Nine News that brothers Max, 7, and Sam, 6, were extremely close and adored each other.
Nine reported the parents had lost custody of their sons, who were removed by the Department of Communities and Justice about four years ago.
Johnson said Max was never sick and was always happy and healthy.
'He was the happiest little kid. He never cried, even as a baby he didn't cry,' he said.
'[Sam's] the toughest little kid I've met, the way he went through the pain, the way he beat that cancer, he's my hero.'
A candlelit vigil was held in memory of two boys whose bodies were found in a home in regional northwest New South Wales.
Max and Sam were found inside a home in Coonabarabran by police conducting a welfare check on Monday.
Heggs was arrested at the scene and taken to a mental health facility in Orange.
Police believe the grandmother 'attempted to self-harm' before she was arrested and taken to hospital.
A crime scene has been established and officers attached to Orana Mid-Western Police District have commenced an investigation under Strike Force Darnum, assisted by detectives from State Crime Command's Homicide Squad.
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(Source: Nine) Mobile devices and SIM card activity Eppingstall testified that Patterson used multiple phones and allegedly swapped SIM cards during a police search of her home. One device, referred to as "Phone A", remains missing. Another phone was subjected to multiple factory resets, the court was told. Dehydrator and disposal ADVERTISEMENT The prosecution highlighted that Patterson initially denied owning a food dehydrator. However, a manual was found in her home and CCTV footage showed a woman getting out of a red SUV and disposing of a dehydrator at a local transfer station shortly after the lunch. Forensic analysis detected traces of death cap mushroom toxins on the dehydrator. Text messages and health claims Text messages presented in court revealed that Patterson had informed her former in-laws about undergoing cancer tests, a claim unsubstantiated by medical records. The prosecution suggests this was a fabricated excuse to for the lunch as well as to prevent her children from attending. Defence's argument Contextualizing digital evidence ADVERTISEMENT Defence counsel Colin Mandy SC argued the digital evidence, including internet searches and purchase histories, does not conclusively prove intent to harm. He emphasised that others could have accessed the computer and that receipts do not confirm which mushrooms were used in the meal. Emotional state and health concerns The defence acknowledged that Patterson lied about her health status but contended that these falsehoods stemmed from panic and longstanding health anxieties. Patterson had a history of researching potential ovarian cancer, which the defence argues contributed to her mental state. Relationship dynamics Messages from a Facebook group chat were introduced, showing Patterson expressing frustration toward her in-laws and estranged husband. ADVERTISEMENT The defence maintained that these messages were taken out of context and represented emotional venting rather than evidence of malicious intent. Police investigation scrutiny Under cross-examination, Detective Eppingstall faced questions regarding the thoroughness of the investigation. The defence pointed out during the initial search of Patterson's home, several electronic devices and bank records were not seized. Eppingstall admitted to certain oversights but defended the overall integrity of the investigation. Patterson's Police interview shown to court Detective who led the investigation reveals stark new details about Patterson's actions and behaviour following the fatal lunch. (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT One of the most scrutinised parts of the case is Patterson's interview with police, recorded three days after the fatal lunch. The jury was played audio of the three-hour interview earlier in the trial. In it, Patterson appeared emotional but denied deliberately poisoning her guests. She repeatedly told officers she didn't know how the mushrooms could have become contaminated, saying: 'I didn't do anything... I loved them.' She said the beef Wellington was made with a mix of button mushrooms from the supermarket and dried mushrooms she believed were bought from an Asian grocer 'a long time ago'. Patterson insisted she had no reason to harm her former in-laws and described the incident as 'an accident'. However, Police noted that some of Patterson's statements conflicted with other evidence presented at trial, including: She said she didn't own a dehydrator yet CCTV showed a woman disposing of one at a rubbish tip on the day Patterson discharged herself from hospital. She initially told police she hadn't searched for mushrooms online, despite forensic evidence showing mushroom-related searches on a computer seized from her home. She said she cooked and ate the same meal as her guests, but hospital staff said she did not display symptoms consistent with mushroom poisoning. The defence has acknowledged that Patterson lied in parts of her interview but argued these were 'panicked omissions' from someone in shock and grief. They urged the jury not to treat her inconsistencies as proof of guilt, but rather as the behaviour of a distressed woman who was overwhelmed by the unfolding tragedy.
