Erin Patterson trial: Lone survivor gives testimony in family’s deadly mushroom lunch

The trial of Erin Patterson, who is accused of serving toxic mushrooms that led to the deaths of three family members, continued on Tuesday in Australia. A photo by James Ross/EPA-EFE was taken during the trial.

On Thursday, the lone surviving guest from the fatal lunch, Ian Wilkinson, testified in court. He described the meal as containing steak and mushrooms in a pastry case. Wilkinson, a retired pastor, attended the dinner with his late wife, Heather Wilkinson, who tragically passed away after consuming the toxic dish.

Wilkinson shared details of the lunch, mentioning that each person had an individual serving and expressed his initial happiness at being invited. He described the relationship with Patterson as friendly but lacking depth. Patterson had invited them over after a church service, hoping to improve their relationship.

The trial, taking place in Morwell, Victoria, saw the defense arguing that Patterson did not intentionally plan the poisoning. It was suggested that she panicked after the incident. Patterson is accused of causing the deaths of Heather Wilkinson, Gail and Don Patterson, and Simon Patterson, her ex-husband’s parents and nephew.

Simon Patterson, who did not attend the meal due to feeling uncomfortable, also testified last week. He described the relationship between Erin Patterson and his family as not particularly close. The jury learned that Patterson served the victims a meal containing death cap mushrooms, resulting in the fatalities and illness.

Wilkinson, who survived the poisoning, revealed that Patterson claimed to have cancer during the lunch, which was later discovered to be false. He recounted how his wife fell ill that night and was taken to the hospital the next morning.

Expert testimony revealed that Patterson had purchased a dehydrator and discussed using it for mushrooms, raising suspicions about the poisoning incident. Dr. Beth Morgan expressed concerns about the severity of the illness caused by the toxic mushrooms.

Patterson has pleaded not guilty, and the trial is expected to continue for at least another four weeks.