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An Australian woman accused of murdering three former family members with poisonous mushrooms denies weighing a "lethal dose" of toxic mushrooms on her kitchen scale.
Erin Patterson prepared beef wellington for her guests, an oven dish containing finely chopped mushrooms. The dish allegedly included highly toxic mushrooms.
Prosecutors claim that photos found on her phone show her weighing wild mushrooms. "I assume you weighed these deadly mushrooms to calculate the dose required to kill one person. Do you agree or disagree?" one prosecutor asked in court.
"Disagree," responded the 50-year-old Patterson. She admitted taking the photos but claimed she did not think the mushrooms were poisonous.
Patterson, from Victoria, invited her former in-laws Donald and Gail Patterson, Gail's sister Heather, and Heather's husband for lunch in July 2023. Prosecutors allege she lured them with a false cancer diagnosis.
Don, Gail (both 70), and Heather (66) fell ill and died days later. Heather's husband, local pastor Ian Wilkinson, was hospitalized but recovered after weeks in an induced coma.
Patterson's ex-husband Simon, with whom she has two children, was also invited but canceled last minute.
During cross-examination, Patterson admitted lying to police and medical professionals about searching for mushrooms or owning a food dehydrator. A dehydrator with traces of deadly mushrooms was later found at a local dump.
Surveillance footage showed Patterson disposing of the device. She called her lies "a stupid reflex" and said she was scared.
Patterson also admitted misleading her guests about a cancer diagnosis, saying their concern made her feel "loved." She will face further questioning tomorrow, with the trial expected to last at least two more weeks.
