The woman who hosted a poisonous luncheon that sickened four people – three of whom have since died – was reportedly heard “moaning” after police visited the home over the weekend.
Erin Patterson, 48, invited her former in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, along with Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, and her husband Ian, to lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria’s Gippsland region, on July 29.
All four guests fell ill after eating and went to the hospital the next day. The Pattersons, both 70, and Mrs Wilkinson, 66, have since died, while Mr Wilkinson, 68, is fighting for his life in hospital.
Ms. Patteron, who cooked the meal, has been identified as a person of interest in the investigation. Seven News reported hearing “whining” after police visited the property last night.
She has denied any wrongdoing and no charges are expected at this stage of the investigation.
Meanwhile, Daily Mail Australia can reveal chilling real estate classifieds photos of Ms Patterson’s home in Leongatha when it was last sold, showing wild mushrooms growing in the rural grounds.
Erin Patterson (pictured), who is at the center of the suspected poisoning of four people, burst into tears and denied any allegation when confronted by the media on Monday
The property where the deadly luncheon took place in Leongatha, in Victoria’s Gippsland region
Photos taken when the previous owner put the 2.5 acre property on the market four years ago show a cluster of yellowish fungi sprouting around the base of a large tree. It is not suggested that these were the mushrooms that were eaten.
In the ad, the property described the property and surrounding area as a “nature wonderland.”
“It is a private, cul-de-sac setting, with many stately eucalyptus trees, black wattles, beautiful blackwoods and more, including an abundance of bird life,” the ad reads.
‘A permanent stream meanders through the block. There is also spring water on site.
“So if your dream is to build in a private, beautiful natural environment and be one with Mother Nature, this is your chance.”
Daily Mail Australia understands that Ms Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon, lives at a different address.
Police said the former couple’s relationship was “amicable” before his parents died.
Homicide detectives searched the premises on Saturday as part of their investigation and seized a number of items, including a dehydrator believed to have been used to prepare the mushrooms.
Four police officers returned to Ms Patterson’s home on Sunday evening to question her.
Property photos show mushrooms growing at the base of a tree on Mrs Patterson’s estate in Leongatha
According to 7News, the 48-year-old could be heard wailing loudly inside the home before police left.
After being questioned, Ms. Patterson was released pending further investigation.
The following day, Dean Thomas, Detective Inspector of the Victoria Police Detectives Department, Dean Thomas, confirmed that Ms Patterson was being treated as a person of interest.
“She hasn’t shown any symptoms, but we have to be open to it, that it could be very harmless, but again, we just don’t know at this point,” he said.
Mr Thomas said that while the homicide squad was investigating the trio’s deaths, it didn’t mean they were being treated as suspicious at this stage – just ‘unexplained’.
Speaking to reporters outside her home on Monday, an emotional Ms Patterson said she was devastated by what happened and denied any wrongdoing.
“I didn’t do anything,” she said, wiping away tears.
“I loved them and I’m devastated that they’re gone.”
She then mistakenly confused Don with Ian by expressing her “hope” that “Don comes through.”
Ms. Patterson said all four guests were wonderful people and had always treated her kindly.
“Gail was like the mother I didn’t have because my mother passed away four years ago and Gail had always been good and kind to me,” she continued.
‘Ian and Heather were some of the best people I had ever met. They never did me wrong.’
Gail and Don Patterson died after eating the mushrooms. It is clear that Erin was previously married to their son, Simon
Ian Wilkinson and Heather Wilkinson (both pictured) became seriously ill after eating wild mushrooms. Ms Wilkinson died on Friday while her husband is in critical condition in hospital
However, when asked where the mushrooms came from, who picked them or what kind of meal she prepared for her guests, Ms. Patterson did not answer.
Detectives believe skull mushrooms are the variety responsible for the poisonings and are investigating how they got into the meal.
Ms. Patterson’s two children also attended the lunch, but Mr. Thomas said they ate different meals than the adults and were not ill.
When the others became ill, Mrs. Patterson and the children went to the hospital as a precaution. The children have since been removed from their mother’s care while the investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, Mr. Wilkinson’s four children sit by his bedside hoping he makes a full recovery as he waits for a liver transplant while tributes are made for their three departed loved ones.
In a joint statement, the Wilkinson and Patterson families said the trio had long been members of the local community and were still coming to terms with their loss.
“The past week has been a time of shock and sadness for all of us,” they told the South Gippsland Sentinel-Times on Sunday.
On Sunday night, police officers were seen entering Ms Patterson’s home (pictured).
The property, purchased in 2019, sits on approximately 2.5 acres of land, described as a ‘natural wonderland’
Flowers have been left at the gate of the property as the community comes to terms with the tragedy
“They were parents, grandparents, siblings, children and pillars of faith in our community.”
“Their love, steadfast faith and selfless service have left an indelible mark on our families, the Korumburra Baptist Church, the local community and even people around the world.”
“Our families will assist the appropriate authorities in any way they can and respect all necessary processes in the midst of this tragedy.”
Deadly mushrooms are common in both metropolitan and regional Victoria, and the state has two potentially deadly species: Death Cap and Yellow-staining.
In April, the Victorian Department of Health warned residents to be wary of wild mushrooms.
“Death Cap mushrooms and yellow colored mushrooms are growing in Victoria in autumn,” the department wrote on social media.
Consuming a Death Cap mushroom can result in death. There is no home test available to distinguish safe, edible mushrooms from poisonous ones.
“To avoid poisoning, only eat mushrooms that you have bought from the supermarket, greengrocer or other reliable source.”
Victorian health officials issued the above warning in April over concerns about poisonous mushrooms in the region