Erin Patterson, a mushroom cook from Leongatha, is facing serious allegations after a fatal meal that reportedly led to the deaths of her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, along with Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson. The 50-year-old appeared before a Supreme Court jury in regional Victoria for the fifth day of her trial.
Simon Patterson, Erin’s estranged husband, denied claims that he questioned her about using a dehydrator to poison his relatives during his testimony. He clarified that while they discussed a dehydrator she previously utilised to hide mushrooms in muffins for their daughter, he never suggested it was used for malicious intent against his family.
On July 31, during his third day of testimony, Simon detailed conversations held at Monash Medical Centre. Following the unfortunate meal, both he and Erin sought medical assistance for themselves and their children after health professionals’ recommendations.
In court, Simon was confronted with messages from a family group chat, where Erin expressed frustration that he wasn’t covering half of the children’s school fees due to his child support obligations. She labelled it “unconscionable,” reiterating the financial responsibilities parents have towards their children. These communications were framed by Erin as an attempt to encourage Simon to be more proactive regarding their children’s welfare.
As the jury viewed the exchanges, Simon described some of Erin’s messages as “extremely aggressive,” particularly one he felt was inflammatory following his inquiry about their son’s sleeping habits. He claimed that Erin’s response was accusatory and emotive.
Additionally, the court heard about a shift in dynamic between Erin and Simon’s parents after Erin’s contentious messages had an adverse impact on their relationship. Simon recounted that his mother had begun to avoid reading any messages from Erin out of anxiety stemming from her medical conditions.
Throughout the proceedings, Erin has maintained her innocence, pleading not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder concerning Simon’s uncle, Ian Wilkinson, who survived the lunch. Her defence characterised the incident as a tragic accident rather than an intentional act.
The trial continues at the Latrobe Valley courts in Morwell, overseen by Justice Christopher Beale as the jury weighs the evidence presented.