Latest news with #inlaws
SBS Australia
5 hours ago
- Health
- SBS Australia
Prosecution begins cross examination of Erin Patterson in mushroom murder trial
Prosecution begins cross examination of Erin Patterson in mushroom murder trial Published 5 June 2025, 7:53 am Accused triple-murderer Erin Patterson has denied intentionally putting death cap mushrooms into a beef wellington dish that left three lunch guests dead and one gravely ill. Under prosecution questioning, she was accused of lying about a cancer diagnosis because she anticipated her in-laws wouldn't survive the meal, and therefore be able to hold her accountable.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Children of ‘beef wellington killer' were taken to hospital after eating leftovers
The children of an Australian woman accused of killing her in-laws with a poisoned beef wellington were admitted to hospital after eating the deadly leftovers, a court has heard. Erin Patterson is charged with murdering her estranged husband's parents and aunt in 2023 by spiking their meal with lethal death cap mushrooms. She is also accused of attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson, her husband's uncle, who spent seven weeks in hospital. On Wednesday, her trial heard that her nine-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son had eaten the leftovers of the beef wellington the following day. Ms Patterson claimed that she had removed the mushrooms from the dish, but doctors were worried the toxins may have also contaminated the meat. She told the court she was initially reluctant to take them to hospital. 'It wasn't that I didn't want them to be treated,' she said. 'But more the drastic step of putting them in hospital, I wanted to understand that was really necessary.' Ms Patterson maintains the lunch was poisoned by accident, pleading not guilty to all charges. She said she decided to improve the beef and pastry dish with dried mushrooms after deciding it tasted a 'little bland'. While she initially believed a kitchen container held store-bought mushrooms, she said it may have been mixed with foraged fungi. 'I decided to put in the dried mushrooms I brought from the grocer,' she told the court. 'Now I think that there was a possibility that there were foraged ones in there as well.' She also told the court that she had misled her guests about the purpose of the family meal. While they ate, Patterson revealed she might be receiving treatment for cancer in the coming weeks. But this was a lie, Patterson said. 'I was planning to have gastric bypass surgery, so I remember thinking I didn't want to tell anybody what I was going to have done. I was really embarrassed about it. 'So letting them believe I had some serious issue that needed treatment might mean they could help me with the logistics around the kids,' she told the court. 'I shouldn't have lied to them,' she added. The prosecution alleges Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests and took care that she did not consume the deadly mushrooms herself. Her defence says Patterson ate the same meal as the others but did not fall as sick. Estranged husband rejected lunch invitation Ms Patterson asked her estranged husband Simon to the family lunch at her secluded rural Victoria home in July 2023, but he turned down the invitation because he felt too uncomfortable, the court heard previously. The pair were long estranged but still legally married. His parents, Don and Gail, were happy to attend. They died days after eating the home-cooked meal. His aunt, Heather Wilkinson, also died, while her husband Ian fell seriously ill but later recovered. Ms Patterson earlier told the court how she had started foraging for mushrooms during a Covid lockdown in 2020, using a dehydrator to preserve them. She told the court her estranged husband asked her if she had 'poisoned' his parents using the appliance. 'I said of course not,' Ms Patterson told the court. Police later found the dehydrator at a nearby rubbish dump.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Erin Patterson describes fatal lunch; teal wins Bradfield nail-biter; and cockatoos have a new trick
Erin Patterson has told a court she believes there is a 'possibility' she unintentionally added foraged mushrooms to her beef wellington mix while trying to improve its 'bland' flavour, and admitted she lied to her lunch guests about having cancer because she was embarrassed about her planned weight loss surgery. On her third day in the witness box, Patterson admitted lying on multiple occasions to her mother-in-law about medical appointments, in part because she wanted her to keep showing her care. Patterson, 50, faces three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder relating to poisoning four in-laws with beef wellington served for lunch at her house in Leongatha in July 2023. Trump's 50% tariffs on foreign steel and aluminium come into effect Extreme weather weighs on Australian economy as growth slows to 0.2% Final resting place of James Cook's Endeavour confirmed by National Maritime Museum Israel warns Palestinians against travel on roads to Gaza aid hubs, labelling them 'combat zones' Global trade chaos threatens South Korea's 'survival' says Lee Jae-myung in inauguration speech A new study says a population of sulphur-crested cockatoos in western Sydney has begun drinking from twist-handled public drinking fountains. Researchers published their findings in the journal Biology Letters. 'To our knowledge, this behaviour has not been observed elsewhere,' they wrote. 'Altogether, this suggests that this drinking innovation has spread to form a new urban-adapted local tradition.' 'This day, it might not end well for me, but this day will define you.' – Jeremy Rockliff, admonishing his Labor counterpart Dean Winter Tasmania's minority Liberal premier has conceded the numbers are against him and he risks being turfed from the role by a parliamentary no-confidence motion. Three crossbench independents and the Greens have said they will vote for the motion moved by the Labor opposition against Rockliff, who has been under increasing pressure over his handling of the state's budget, Bass Strait ferry delays and a plan to sell assets. The political turmoil also puts the future of Hobart's controversial stadium in doubt – as well as a future Tasmanian AFL team. After a nail-biting few weeks, the AEC has declared the teal independent has defeated the Liberal candidate Giselle Kapterian to win the Sydney seat, which has been held by the Liberals since its creation in 1949. Bradfield was the last outstanding seat from the 3 May election, but the result could still be challenged by the Liberals in the court of disputed returns. Sign up to Afternoon Update Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'A vampire would burst into flames just smelling it.' Taste-testing 12 different supermarket garlic breads, Tristan Lutze and co discover a loaf flecked with real garlic, a gluten-free option that's actually good, and one they thought tasted like a TV prop. Today's starter word is: BUR. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply. Enjoying the Afternoon Update? Then you'll love our Morning Mail newsletter. Sign up here to start the day with a curated breakdown of the key stories you need to know, and complete your daily news roundup. And follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland. If you have a story tip or technical issue viewing this newsletter, please reply to this email. If you are a Guardian supporter and need assistance with regards to contributions and/or digital subscriptions, please email
ABC News
2 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Erin Patterson returns to stand in mushroom murder trial
Erin Patterson returns to the witness box for the third day of her triple murder trial in regional Victoria. The 50-year-old is accused of intentionally killing three of her in-laws when she served then a beef Wellington lunch containing death cap mushrooms at her home in Leongatha in 2023.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Australia: Mushroom case, defence spending, wages up
Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn for an update on the Erin Patterson case - the woman accused of killing three of her in-laws by death cap mushrooms - after she took the witness stand yesterday. PM Anthony Albanese is rebuffing a call from the US to up defence spending, millions of Australians are about to get a pay rise of 3.5% after the Fair Work Commission decided the national minimum wage needed to rise and the social media craze 'Run it Straight' has made it to Australia. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
