An Australian woman is under investigation after three of her former in-laws died after consuming suspected poisonous mushrooms at her home on July 29.
Four people fell ill after eating at 48-year-old Erin Patterson’s home in Victoria, Australia, according to the BBC. Her former in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, both 70, Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, and her husband, Ian, 68, all become violently ill following the meal, which police believe may have involved poisonous wild mushrooms.
The victims all went to the hospital following the meal with severe gastrointestinal problems. From there, they were transferred to a facility in Melbourne.
Andy Vermaut shares:Mushroom poisoning deaths: Family lunch mystery grips Australia: A tight-knit town is reeling after a meal left three dead and another fighting for life. Thank you https://t.co/typ7RqoCJv pic.twitter.com/Y6HsnwVr5O
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Gail and Heather died Friday, and Don died the following day. Ian remains in critical condition awaiting a liver transplant, the BBC continued. Patterson, however, showed no visible symptoms of poisoning following the meal.
Police suspect that the family members consumed death cap mushrooms, which are lethal to humans. Nothing is clear about the situation at this time, but “nefarious activity” has not been ruled out. (RELATED: 3M To Pay $10.3 Billion In Settlement Of Lawsuits Over Allegedly Poisoning Water Systems)
“At this point in time, the deaths are unexplained,” homicide detective Dean Thomas said of the situation. “It could be very innocent, but we just don’t know.” Patterson has expressed a deep love for her former family members, and said she has no idea what happened.