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News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Erin Patterson: Moment mushroom cook's husband suspected deadly lunch plot
When Simon Patterson learnt each of his parents and aunt and uncle were ill following a lunch at his wife's home, he sprung into action. Don Patterson, his father, called him about 8.45am on July 30, 2023, to say they had been experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea since about midnight and were waiting for an ambulance. Don also told him Heather and Ian Wilkinson were sick too. 'I wasn't really sure what to do,' he told Patterson's trial in May. 'I tried both their mobile phones, but I didn't get an answer.' Simon jumped in the car and drove around to his aunt and uncle's house to check in, finding them 'sick, grey and stooped'. Despite the pair's reluctance, he convinced them they too needed to go to a hospital and took them himself after being warned an ambulance could be an hour away. He had good reason to be worried. Within a week Don, Simon's mother, Gail Patterson and Heather would be dead, and Ian would be fighting for his life. The quartet had eaten lunch the day prior at Simon's estranged wife Erin Patterson's home in the country Victorian town of Leongatha. Simon himself had been invited but pulled out the night before, texting Patterson he was too uncomfortable to attend. She responded by trying to guilt him into coming. 'That's really disappointing. I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch … because I wanted it to be a special meal,' she wrote. 'I hope you'll change your mind. Your parents and Heather and Ian are coming at 12.30. I hope to see you there.' Simon's reasons for why he didn't want to attend can now be revealed after Justice Christopher Beale lifted a suppression order barring media from reporting on pre-trial rulings in the case. During these pre-trial hearings, Simon revealed he had begun to fear his wife was poisoning him in the year before the lunch after a spate of serious but unexplained illnesses. 'I thought there was a risk she would poison me if I attended,' he said of his reason for turning down the lunch invite. He was hospitalised in November 2021, May 2022, July 2022 and September 2022 — and over time began to believe he could trace these illnesses to meals made by Patterson. On each occasion, Simon said he had begun experiencing gastro-like symptoms that quickly worsened. But each time doctors were unable to identify the cause of the mystery illnesses. On the advice of his GP Chris Ford, Simon began to trace what he had eaten before each of the illnesses in about July 2022. 'I asked him to do that because I couldn't understand why these things kept happening to him in such a way that he'd had essentially three near-death experiences,' Dr Ford told the court. 'It didn't fit into my medical models to account for anything.' Simon told the court he initially didn't seriously entertain the possibility Patterson was poisoning him until after a conversation with his cousin Tim Patterson in about September 2022. 'When I made the spreadsheet and looked at what I'd come up with my thought was this could appear to someone else looking at this that Erin was a cause because of her cooking the food,' Simon said. Dr Ford told the court Simon first raised the suspicion at a consult on February 21, 2023. 'I do recall, as a result, Simon elected to change his advanced care directives,' he said. Asked if he took it seriously, Dr Ford said: 'It was a possible explanation, yes.' 'He told me his perspective of what happened,' he said. 'To me, there was no other medical reason that could fit all of the different admissions. It seemed feasible that it could be a possible explanation.' Dr Ford and Tim Patterson were among a small group Simon shared his concerns with, including his sister Anna Terrington, brother Matthew and father Don. Simon described his father's reaction to the news, delivered months ahead of the lunch in late February, as 'very thoughtful'. 'He said 'I suggest you don't tell too many people about that',' Simon told the court. 'I thought I had a reasonable sense why he would say that … probably because that could create issues in the way they relate, especially with Erin and our family.' From the moment Simon learnt his parents and aunt and uncle were ill, he suspected his wife was the culprit. He rang Dr Ford that morning to express his concerns and because the GP had promised to expend every effort to make sure toxicological testing was conducted should there be another illness. Dr Ford said he was packing for a week-long trip, but called a colleague he knew was working on-call at Leongatha Hospital, Dr Chris Webster, to warn him there may be patients coming in. 'It was along the lines of 'Hi Chris, I know this is a bit unusual, there are two people coming to you who I suspect might have deliberate food poisoning based on previous events that have gone on with one of my patients',' he recounted of the call. Dr Ford said he tried to call the Korumburra Hospital but could not get through, so he drove to the hospital. He said he had a 'very similar conversation' to the one with Dr Webster, telling a doctor there was a suspicion of deliberate poisoning and to watch out for a decline in their condition. Dr Webster told the pre-trial hearing he thought Dr Ford's call was 'bizarre' but he acknowledged the concerns and thanked him for the warning. He said he told a nurse at the hospital they might be getting a patient from Dr Ford's church congregation, remarking: 'It looks like someone's trying to take out the church community.' Dr Webster told the court the following morning, on July 31, he received a call from Dandenong Hospital's Dr Beth Morgan about the case. He said Dr Morgan advised him Don and Gail had been moved to her hospital and it was now suspected the quartet had consumed death cap mushrooms. At 8.05am that morning, Dr Webster said Erin Patterson attended the hospital and he explained there was a concern that all lunch guests, herself included, had consumed death caps. 'It was along the lines of the doctors at Dandenong believe you've been exposed to potentially lethal death cap mushroom toxins,' he said. The court was told five minutes later Ms Patterson discharged herself against medical advice saying she needed to make preparations before she could be admitted. She returned at 9.48am but not before Dr Webster called the local police due to his concern for her welfare. Dr Webster told the court he had stepped away from Ms Patterson but soon learnt she had left. 'Where the f*** did she go?' he said he questioned nurse Kylie Ashton. 'I've just told her she's been exposed to a potentially fatal dose. I would have thought a hospital would be a good place to stay. 'My initial impression of Dr Ford's phone call as bizarre had dramatically changed by that point.' After her arrest over the July 2023 fatal lunch, Patterson was initially charged with three counts of attempted murder over Simon's illnesses. These were later dropped by prosecutors after a ruling by Justice Beale would have split the case into two trials — one for the deadly lunch and a second for Simon's illnesses. Prosecutors had not alleged Simon's illnesses were caused by death cap mushroom poisoning, but that he was allegedly poisoned with unidentified toxic compounds. But during the pre-trial, intensive care specialist Professor Andrew Bersten gave evidence he had reviewed all of Simon's medical notes and found there were no identifiable causes. Patterson was found guilty of murdering Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson and the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson following an 11-week trial earlier this year. She will face a pre-sentence hearing on August 25.
Indian Express
31-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
First anniversary of landslides that killed 298: At Wayanad ground zero, tears & memories
With muffled cries and tears running down their cheeks, they stood in front of a collage of photos of 298 persons who were killed in the landslide of July 30 last year. They saw the pictures of their lost husbands, wives, parents, children, neighbours and co-workers, who had gone to bed on the night of last July 29, but got wiped out along with debris before the next day break. As Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the tragedy, survivors and relatives of the victims broke down before the collage, which was put up near the mass burial ground at Puthumala near here. One of the biggest natural disasters in the country, the Wayanad landslide, which hit villages of Mundakkai, Chooralmala and Attamala in Meppadi panchayat, had claimed 298 lives. Of them, 44 missing had been declared dead. As many as seven children lost both their parents and 14 others lost one of their parents. Besides, 17 families, with 65 members, have been wiped out in the disaster. Right from the morning, survivors of the landslide, who live in various parts of Wayanad after the tragedy, flocked to the burial ground, which has been named 'July 30 heartland', where 56 unidentified bodies and 213 body parts were buried. The emotionally-charged air culminated with an all-religion prayer and guard of honour from the Kerala Police as a mark of respect to those fallen to the fury of nature. Ministers, people's representatives and officials attended the function. Saheesh, who had a miraculous escape in the tragedy, came to pray for his close friends and their families. 'My daughter Jamshira was seriously injured, but she does not have the courage to turn up for the memorial programme. She is yet to recover from the mental trauma. My nine neighbours died and I have to pray for them,'' said Saheesh, who lives on a rented premise outside the tragedy zone. Pointing to three tomb stones marked with the house name 'Kallingal', estate worker M Saji said he had lost eight from his extended family. 'My wife Ushadevi's sister and her family…,'' he said as he placed burning sandal sticks near the tomb stones one after another. Ten-year-old Avanthika, one of the seven children who lost both their parents, came with the family of her paternal uncle, to pay tributes to the departed. 'Avanthika was injured. She came to know that her parents and eldest brother are no more only three months after the tragedy. She did not believe. Later, we came to this burial ground to convince her. However, she often insists on seeing her parents and it has been a traumatic year for us,'' said her uncle, Pradeepan. Aritha Satheesh, who lost her son and eight others in her extended family, said: 'I am serving food at an orphanage today. In the afternoon, I will visit my abandoned house at Chooralmala. After the death of my son and close family members who lived nearby, I had never gone to the village.'' After a memorial event at the burial ground at Puthumala, many of the survivors visited Chooralmala, Mundakkai and Attamala, the villages they had fled on that fateful night. An expatriate for 30 years, Shoukath, 52, found that time had come to a standstill at his village, Mundakkai. 'My house and one acre of cardamom plantation were washed out. Weeds have grown over the place where my house stood. I will get a house in the rehabilitation scheme, but I have to start from scratch. I had lost 26 of my relatives,'' he said. Meanwhile, Revenue Minister K Rajan said that the state government will provide houses to 49 more people, bringing the total number of families included in the township for rehabilitating the survivors to 451. Traders and owners of buildings will be given compensation. The state has got `700 crore in the distress relief fund for the landslide victims. The entire amount will be spent for rehabilitation, he said. A model house at the township, coming up at Kalpetta municipality, was completed on Wednesday.
The Hindu
29-07-2025
- The Hindu
July 30: a cup of memories, a dash of hope
The name 'July 30' on Noufal Kalathingal's cafe signboard at Mepadi town is more than just a date. It echoes both pain and purpose for him. It is a symbol of his resilience in the face of unimaginable loss. It is a tribute to the loved ones he lost in the Wayanad landslide disaster. When nature ravaged Mundakkai and Chooralmala on the night of July 30, 2024, Mr. Noufal was thousands of miles away, working as a chef in Oman. Just minutes before the disaster, he had shared a tender WhatsApp video call with his wife Sajna and their three children. He never heard from them since. Mr. Noufal lost 11 members of his family: wife and three children, his parents, his brother, sister-in-law and their three children. The scene that awaited him in Wayanad on July 31 was one of unrecognizable devastation. 'I had some hope until I reached Wayanad. My parents' bodies were recovered and buried the day before. It was the familiar sparkle of an earring that confirmed the unbearable truth: my daughter,' Mr. Noufal's words broke. It took Mr. Noufal nearly three months to confirm the identities of his other family members, including his wife Sajna, through DNA testing. With a heavy heart, he revealed the grim reality: 'My wife's remains are scattered in two graves. The same fate befell my children and brother.' The devastating landslide had dismembered bodies beyond recognition, leading to piecemeal burials before DNA results later revealed the true identities. His wife's dream was for Mr. Noufal to return home and start a cafe, a plan he was actively working on. 'I was saving up to make her dream a reality,' he said. Though Sajna is not there to witness it, her presence lives on in every cup of coffee he serves. 'I named my cafe 'July 30' to ensure that the Mundakkai-Chooralmala tragedy is not forgotten, unlike the 2019 Puthumala disaster that is already slipping from memory,' he said. Shared sorrow The Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) helped him set up the cafe in a rented building. He employs six workers who lost their livelihoods in the tragedy. More than coffee and snacks, the menu reflects the region's flavours: biryani, mandi, porotta and beef fry. 'This cafe is not about profits, it is about preserving memories and supporting those who lost their livelihood,' he said. Mr. Noufal's resilience is an inspiration to many survivors. Last month, he married Safna, 37. They are now preparing to move into a house donated by KMCC Muscat wing. Mr. Noufal's journey of healing and rebuilding enters a new chapter.
Hindustan Times
29-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
One year after disaster, Wayanad shows the world lessons in survival, human love
Wayanad , Last year, the morning of July 29 was as normal as any other day for the people of Chooralmala and Mundakkai in this hill district. One year after disaster, Wayanad shows the world lessons in survival, human love Apart from the pouring rain, it was business as usual in this stunningly beautiful hillside, a highly sought-after tourist destination. Everything changed in a flash the next day, on July 30, and the once-favourite tourist spot became an open grave overnight. One year after the most severe natural calamity Kerala had ever witnessed, Mundakkai and Chooralmala remain ghost towns, with only a few houses intact. There are no people here, except for a tribal family of three, who still live in the area. Though the wounds of this disaster which claimed 298 lives and wiped out everything that stood on the ground seem unlikely ever to heal, Mundakkai and Chooralmala also tell remarkable stories of survival, resilience, and Kerala's unity in the face of an unprecedented disaster. With work on a township envisaged by the state government for the rehabilitation of landslide survivors progressing and with many complaints and political accusations being raised against it some stories of the survivors offer hope and reflect the resilience of the people of Wayanad in moving forward with their lives. Naufal, who lost 11 members of his family in the landslide, is one of many examples from disaster‑torn Chooralmala. Having lost everyone in his family, he has now started a hotel in Meppadi, aptly naming it 'July 30' in memory of the day he lost all his loved ones. Naufal was abroad at work when the disaster struck, wiping away everything he had his family, his house, and the land he owned in Mundakkai. He could not return to his workplace, as it was too much for him to overcome the trauma and leave the place where his family members were buried alive. "My family always wished that I would start a hotel in our area. Now, with the help of good Samaritans, I have managed to open a small hotel to fulfil their wish," Naufal told PTI Videos. A similar story is that of five children who were orphaned in the disaster and are now gradually returning to normal life, pursuing their education under the Kinship Foster Care Programme, which allows close relatives to care for these children with government support. Child welfare officers who frequently visit them say the children often recall their parents, with the trauma yet to fully leave them. However, they are becoming accustomed to their new caretakers and are happy at their schools. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, there were hundreds of requests to adopt these orphaned children. However, the government decided not to place them for adoption, instead enrolling them in the Kinship Foster Care Programme so they could remain with familiar caretakers their close relatives. Though many stories of survivors are inspiring, some reveal the cruel effects of disasters on human lives. Before the disaster struck, Mundakkai and Chooralmala had a reasonably settled, financially sound community. The people here, who once held decent land holdings, lost everything and are now unable to reclaim their land for construction, as the government permits only farming activities. This has turned many from wealthy to penniless in a single day. The story of Annayan is one such example. Once earning an annual income of about ₹25 lakh from his two‑acre farmland and the rent from buildings he owned, he now works as an autorickshaw driver for a meagre wage of ₹200 a day. He blames the revenue authorities for his present plight, alleging that all his attempts to reclaim his land for cultivation have failed. "Either let me farm on my land and live, or acquire my land and give me compensation," is Annayan's request to the government. Annayan had worked as a farm supervisor in a private estate before leaving his job to focus on his coffee farming and other businesses. However, everything he owned was wiped out on July 30 last year in the devastating landslide. Annayan says he has repeatedly approached the revenue authorities, requesting permission to remove the fallen trees and restart cultivation, but no such permission has been granted. He now lives in a rented house in Meppadi and, seeing his struggles, some kind-hearted individuals have donated an autorickshaw to him. However, Annayan was granted a permit to operate the auto only in Kalpetta town, 12 kilometres away from his residence. One year on, Annayan still vividly remembers the terrifying moments when he awoke to a loud noise. "I woke up at 1.30 am to a loud noise. We first thought it was a wild elephant. But then, suddenly, water began gushing in, breaking the sugarcane fence I had. Around 3.30 am, we heard loud cries, and we realised many houses around us had been wiped out. "My house was washed away in the second landslide. Eighty bodies were recovered from my land alone. Among the farmers in this locality, three others and I were the most affected," Annayan recalls. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
News18
29-07-2025
- News18
One year after disaster, Wayanad shows the world lessons in survival, human love
Wayanad (Kerala), Jul 29 (PTI) Last year, the morning of July 29 was as normal as any other day for the people of Chooralmala and Mundakkai in this hill district. Apart from the pouring rain, it was business as usual in this stunningly beautiful hillside, a highly sought-after tourist destination. Everything changed in a flash the next day, on July 30, and the once-favourite tourist spot became an open grave overnight. One year after the most severe natural calamity Kerala had ever witnessed, Mundakkai and Chooralmala remain ghost towns, with only a few houses intact. There are no people here, except for a tribal family of three, who still live in the area. Though the wounds of this disaster — which claimed 298 lives and wiped out everything that stood on the ground — seem unlikely ever to heal, Mundakkai and Chooralmala also tell remarkable stories of survival, resilience, and Kerala's unity in the face of an unprecedented disaster. With work on a township envisaged by the state government for the rehabilitation of landslide survivors progressing– and with many complaints and political accusations being raised against it — some stories of the survivors offer hope and reflect the resilience of the people of Wayanad in moving forward with their lives. Naufal, who lost 11 members of his family in the landslide, is one of many examples from disaster‑torn Chooralmala. Having lost everyone in his family, he has now started a hotel in Meppadi, aptly naming it 'July 30' in memory of the day he lost all his loved ones. Naufal was abroad at work when the disaster struck, wiping away everything he had– his family, his house, and the land he owned in Mundakkai. He could not return to his workplace, as it was too much for him to overcome the trauma and leave the place where his family members were buried alive. 'My family always wished that I would start a hotel in our area. Now, with the help of good Samaritans, I have managed to open a small hotel to fulfil their wish," Naufal told PTI Videos. A similar story is that of five children who were orphaned in the disaster and are now gradually returning to normal life, pursuing their education under the Kinship Foster Care Programme, which allows close relatives to care for these children with government support. Child welfare officers who frequently visit them say the children often recall their parents, with the trauma yet to fully leave them. However, they are becoming accustomed to their new caretakers and are happy at their schools. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, there were hundreds of requests to adopt these orphaned children. However, the government decided not to place them for adoption, instead enrolling them in the Kinship Foster Care Programme so they could remain with familiar caretakers — their close relatives. Though many stories of survivors are inspiring, some reveal the cruel effects of disasters on human lives. Before the disaster struck, Mundakkai and Chooralmala had a reasonably settled, financially sound community. The people here, who once held decent land holdings, lost everything and are now unable to reclaim their land for construction, as the government permits only farming activities. This has turned many from wealthy to penniless in a single day. The story of Annayan is one such example. Once earning an annual income of about Rs 25 lakh from his two‑acre farmland and the rent from buildings he owned, he now works as an autorickshaw driver for a meagre wage of Rs 200 a day. He blames the revenue authorities for his present plight, alleging that all his attempts to reclaim his land for cultivation have failed. 'Either let me farm on my land and live, or acquire my land and give me compensation," is Annayan's request to the government. Annayan had worked as a farm supervisor in a private estate before leaving his job to focus on his coffee farming and other businesses. However, everything he owned was wiped out on July 30 last year in the devastating landslide. Annayan says he has repeatedly approached the revenue authorities, requesting permission to remove the fallen trees and restart cultivation, but no such permission has been granted. He now lives in a rented house in Meppadi and, seeing his struggles, some kind-hearted individuals have donated an autorickshaw to him. However, Annayan was granted a permit to operate the auto only in Kalpetta town, 12 kilometres away from his residence. One year on, Annayan still vividly remembers the terrifying moments when he awoke to a loud noise. 'I woke up at 1.30 am to a loud noise. We first thought it was a wild elephant. But then, suddenly, water began gushing in, breaking the sugarcane fence I had. Around 3.30 am, we heard loud cries, and we realised many houses around us had been wiped out. 'My house was washed away in the second landslide. Eighty bodies were recovered from my land alone. Among the farmers in this locality, three others and I were the most affected," Annayan recalls. PTI KPK TGB ADB (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 29, 2025, 13:30 IST News agency-feeds One year after disaster, Wayanad shows the world lessons in survival, human love Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
