Poison mushroom lunch guest had final conversation with paramedic

Poison mushroom lunch guest ‘had final conversation with paramedic who passed details onto the police’

• Three people died after eating Erin Patterson’s beef wellington
• One is said to have had a final conversation with a paramedic 

One of the three lunch guests who died after eating a poison mushroom beef wellington had a final conversation with a paramedics – details of which have been passed on to the police, a report claims.

Gail and Don Patterson, as well as Gail’s sister Heather, died earlier this month after going for lunch at daughter-in-law Erin Patterson’s house in Leongatha, Victoria.

Erin has denied deliberately poisoning the trio, as well as Heather’s husband Ian who is fighting for life in hospital as he awaits a liver transplant. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Erin is responsible for the poisonings.

A source close to the police investigation into the deaths told the Herald Sun that one of the three people who died had a final conversation with a paramedic.

That paramedic felt it was necessary to relay what was said to the police, the source claims.

Erin Patterson is pictured outside her home last week and has denied any wrongdoing after the suspected poisonings

Ian Wilkinson and Heather Wilkinson (both pictured) became severely ill after they ate wild mushrooms. Mrs Wilkinson died while her husband remains in a critical condition in hospital

Gail and Don Patterson died after eating the mushrooms.  Erin was previously married to their son, Simon

It is not known what the lunch guest said to the paramedic. 

Ms Patterson, a stay-at-home mum, says she bought the suspected toxic fungi at a supermarket and an Asian grocery store, and was herself hospitalised after eating the lunch.

Her children did were not present at the lunch and went to the movies instead. They ate leftovers the next day, but the mushrooms were scraped off as they don’t like them.

READ MORE: Tradie makes ‘disturbing, satanic’ find in mushroom poisoning cook’s home

Ms Patterson told police she became unwell after eating the meal too, and that while she was in hospital, her ex-husband Simon accused her of poisoning his parents, Gail and Don.

She said she was ‘discussing the food hydrator’ she used to prepare the meal when her ex-husband asked: ‘Is that what you used to poison them?’

In a panic, Erin has admitted that she then dumped the dehydrator at a nearby tip.

Food dehydrators are used to dry out mushrooms before using them in beef wellingtons.

The dehydrator has been found by police and a source close to the investigation told The Age police were conducting forensic tests on the dehydrator – which was found at a nearby tip.

In a written statement sent to Victoria Police on Friday – and obtained by the ABC – Ms Patterson expressed hurt that people ‘were so quick to rush to judgement.’

The above family tree shows the connections between the Pattersons and Wilkinsons embroiled in the unusual poisoning tragedy in Leongatha

Simon Patterson was supposed to join his parents for the lunch that killed them but pulled out at the last minute

‘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.

‘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 had earlier given a no comment interview to police at the start of their investigations, blaming her decision to stonewall cops on it being a ‘terrifying and anxiety-provoking’ experience.

Ms Patterson had intended to use the meal as reconciliation with her estranged husband Simon, but he pulled out at the last minute.

A neighbour of Gail and Don Patterson told Daily Mail Australia that Simon had lived with his parents after splitting with his wife, but moved out late last year.

‘Sunday morning we saw the ambulance pull into their driveway and we didn’t know what was happening,’ he said.

‘They’d been very sort of mobile people. They were always out doing their own lawns. They were pretty active. Don used to go for walks every morning.’

The neighbour, who did not wish to be named, described his neighbours as kind people, who likely did maintain contact with their son’s ex-wife even after the couple split.

‘He was a pretty good sort of a person who wouldn’t hold those grudges. I don’t know the reason they were there, but probably to see their grandkids,’ he said.

News of the tragic deaths has been the talk of the small rural community, with allegations Simon may have suffered a mysterious serious stomach complaint in June, 2022. 

He fell into a coma and was in ICU for 21 days in a case which baffled doctors. 

An Austin Hospital source told Daily Mail Australia that Mr Wilkinson is expected to need an urgent liver transplant and likely also suffered major damage to his kidneys.

‘I suspect he’s going to come out of this because if they thought he was that unwell and they just needed the best intensive care, I reckon he’d be at The Alfred. He’ll probably get a transplant. There’s a chance he’s already had one, but no-one will tell you that because it could identify the donor,’ the source said.

MUSHROOM POISONING: A TIMELINE OF EVENTS 

Saturday, July 29

Don and Gail Patterson and Heather and Ian Wilkinson (a pastor) gather at Erin Patterson’s home in Leongatha, north-east of Melbourne, for lunch and east her beef wellington

Erin’s two children go to the movies 

Sunday, July 30

Erin’s children eat leftover beef wellington but with the mushrooms scraped off.

All four lunch guests present to hospital feeling ill. It is initially thought they have gastro. 

As their condition deteriorates, they are transferred to hospitals in Melbourne. 

Erin also goes to hospital.

Monday, July 31

Erin is transferred to a hospital in Melbourne, where she is treated for poisoning

Friday, August 4

Gail and Heather die in hospital.

Police find Erin’s food dehydrator dumped at a tip 

Saturday, August 5

Don dies in hospital. Police search Erin Patterson’s home in Leongatha and seize a number of items.

Sunday, August 6

Police are seen returning to Erin’s home to question her. She is heard wailing loudly from inside the house before the four officers leave.

Monday, August 7 

Victoria Police Detective Inspector for the Homicide Squad, Dean Thomas, confirms Erin is being treated as a person of interest in the case.

However, he says the investigation is still in its early stages and it is yet to be determined if the deaths are suspicious. 

A short time later, Erin breaks her silence and speaks to reporters outside the home. She says she is devastated and ‘loves’ the four relatives who came to her home. She denies any wrongdoing but does not answer questions where the mushrooms came from, who picked them or what meal she made for her guests.

Tuesday, August 8

In a bizarre twist, Simon Patterson was revealed to have suffered from a mysterious Stomach illness in June, 2022. He fell into a coma and was in ICU for 21 days. His case is yet to be explained by doctors.

Forensic testing is underway to find any traces of death cap mushroom on the food dehydrator. Police believe it was used during preparation of the meal.

Wednesday, August 9

Daily Mail Australia reveals that Simon Patterson was expected to attend the lunch, but pulled out at the last minute 

Thursday, August 10

Erin Patterson tells reporters she is driving to Melbourne to see her lawyers. A representative from the legal firm later arrives at her house to hand deliver a letter, but she is not home.

Friday August 11: Erin Patterson provides a lengthy written statement to police

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