Last week, news made rounds about the fatal mushroom lunch that was prepared by Erin Patterson, a mother of two and claimed the lives of 3 of her former in-laws leaving another in a very critical condition that needs a Liver transplant.
The victims who were invited to lunch by Erin are confirmed to be her formal in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, Gail’s sister Heather Wilkson and her pastor husband Ian of which Don and Gail Patterson and Mr and Mrs Wilkson fell violently ill several hours after eating the mean and later resulted into Don, Gail and Heather passing away, leaving Ian in a critical condition in need of a Liver transplant.
In a statement sent to Victoria Police last week, 48 year-old Erin Patterson said that the mushrooms were a mixture of button mushrooms bought at a supermarket chain and dried mushrooms bought at an Asian grocery store.
She said the dried mushrooms had been bought in Melbourne months before the tragedy, though she was unable to give further details.
Ms Patterson who says she was also hospitalized after the lunch with bad stomach pains and diarrhea, in a written statement obtained by the ABC, came out to speak about the fatal meal that left a big gap in her in-law family.
“I am now wanting to clear up the record because I have become extremely stressed and overwhelmed by the deaths of my loved ones,” Ms Patterson said in the statement.
“I am hoping this statement might help in some way. I believe if people understood the background more, they would not be so quick to rush to judgement.
“I am now devastated to think that these mushrooms may have contributed to the illness suffered by my loved ones. I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people whom I loved.” She explained.
Erin Patterson, explained that at the tragic lunch moment her kids were not home as they had gone for movies and when they returned they ate leftovers from the lunch the following night, but she picked the mushrooms out because they don’t like them.
Erin Patterson does not face charges as she says the incident that took place was an accident.