A girl has pleaded not responsible to the homicide of three individuals who died after allegedly consuming a lunch she ready which contained toxic mushrooms.
Erin Patterson, 49, is charged with three counts of homicide and 5 of tried homicide over the meat Wellington meal in July final 12 months.
Don Patterson and his spouse Gail, each 70, and her sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, fell ailing and later died in hospital after the lunch at Erin Patterson’s house in Leongatha, Victoria.
Simon Patterson, the defendant’s ex-husband, is listed in court docket paperwork because the alleged sufferer in 4 of the counts of tried homicide – together with three separate incidents in 2021 and 2022.
He had not accepted an invite to the lunch.
A fifth depend pertains to Mrs Wilkinson’s husband Ian, a pastor at a close-by city who spent weeks in hospital following the lunch.
Ms Patterson has maintained her innocence.
Police mentioned on the time that the signs of all 4 who turned ailing had been in keeping with poisoning from wild Amanita phalloides – higher often called loss of life cap mushrooms – that are answerable for 90% of all poisonous mushroom-related fatalities.
The case has gripped Australia, the place deaths from consuming mushrooms are comparatively uncommon.
The Supreme Courtroom is anticipated to subsequent hear Patterson’s case on 23 Might.