Australian police have arrested the host of a luncheon gathering that left three guests dead from suspected mushroom poisoning and a fourth fighting for life.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian police on Thursday arrested the host of a luncheon gathering that left three guests dead from suspected mushroom poisoning and a fourth fighting for life.
Victoria state police executed a search warrant at Erin Patterson’s home at Leongatha where her former husband’s parents, Gail and Don Patterson, both aged 70, Gail Patterson’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, and her husband Ian Wilkinson, 68, gathered on July 29 for lunch.
“Today’s arrest is just the next step in what has been a complex and thorough investigation by Homicide Squad detectives and one that is not yet over,” Thomas told reporters.
Police say the symptoms the four diners had suffered were consistent with poisoning by wild Death Cap Mushrooms.
Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported that Erin Patterson had written in a statement that she had cooked a Beef Wellington steak dish for the lunch using mushrooms bought from a major supermarket chain and dried mushrooms from an Asian grocery store.
Ian Wilkinson, a Baptist pastor, was released from hospital in late September and police say he continues to recover.
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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian police on Thursday arrested the host of a luncheon gathering that left three guests dead from suspected mushroom poisoning and a fourth fighting for life.
Victoria state police executed a search warrant at Erin Patterson’s home at Leongatha where her former husband’s parents, Gail and Don Patterson, both aged 70, Gail Patterson’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, and her husband Ian Wilkinson, 68, gathered on July 29 for lunch.
“Today’s arrest is just the next step in what has been a complex and thorough investigation by Homicide Squad detectives and one that is not yet over,” Thomas told reporters.
Police say the symptoms the four diners had suffered were consistent with poisoning by wild Death Cap Mushrooms.
Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported that Erin Patterson had written in a statement that she had cooked a Beef Wellington steak dish for the lunch using mushrooms bought from a major supermarket chain and dried mushrooms from an Asian grocery store.
Ian Wilkinson, a Baptist pastor, was released from hospital in late September and police say he continues to recover.
The original article contains 267 words, the summary contains 180 words. Saved 33%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!