Beef Wellington Revealed As Meal Eaten In Mushroom Poisoning Investigation

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A beef wellington pie has been revealed as the meal served which left three people dead and a fourth fighting for life in hospital.

Erin Patterson, 48, prepared the meal at her Leongatha home for her former parent-in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, and Ms Patterson’s sister and husband, Heather and Ian Wilkinson.

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Mr and Ms Patterson and Ms Wilkinson all died after consuming the meals while Mr Wilkinson remains in a critical condition.

Police said the victims’ symptoms were consistent with consuming death cap mushrooms but urge the community not to speculate if Ms Patterson is to blame because it could turn out to be “very innocent”.

They added Ms Patterson remained a suspect as she was the one who cooked the meal in her home but did not fall ill and had prepared separate meals for her two children who were at lunch but not living at the property.

Ms Patterson was asked earlier in the week about her involvement, proclaiming her innocence which she has continued to uphold.

“I didn’t do anything,” she said to media on Monday.

“I loved them, and I’m devastated they are gone.

“They were some of the best people I’ve ever met.”

The mushroom in question typically grows under oak trees in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory.

Death cap mushrooms are the world’s most toxic mushroom and are responsible for about 90 per cent of mushroom-related deaths world-wide.