As someone who's been dipping my toes into the world of mushroom identification and, this year, began foraging for mushrooms (carefully!), this article intrigued me. Quick summary: This line...
As someone who's been dipping my toes into the world of mushroom identification and, this year, began foraging for mushrooms (carefully!), this article intrigued me. Quick summary:
Police believe the victims had eaten death cap mushrooms - which are highly lethal if ingested. In her statement, Ms Patterson said she had used some dried mushrooms but did not know they were poisonous. [...] Hours after the meal, all four guests fell ill with what they initially thought was severe food poisoning. Within days, Heather, 66, Gail, 70, and Don, 70, had died. Ian, 68, is still fighting for his life in a Melbourne hospital as he awaits a liver transplant. [...] Ms Patterson said she herself was hospitalised on 31 July. She said she was put on a saline drip and given medication to guard against liver damage. She said she had also saved and given the remainder of the lunch to hospital toxicologists for examination.
This line especially jumped out to me, and I'm honestly surprised it's not getting more notice:
Ms Patterson said the mushrooms used to prepare the meal were a mixture of button mushrooms bought at a supermarket, and dried mushrooms purchased at an Asian grocery store in Melbourne several months ago.
Assuming true, I find it to be shocking that mushrooms sold commercially weren't more carefully vetted. For reference, the death cap (Amanita phalloides) earns its name, and is among the most toxic mushrooms out there.
Living in Canada, I have no clue what food regulation is like in Australia, but this seems pretty egregious, no?
If it has been deemed accidental, I'm sure the police have done due investigation into the matter and determined no foul play, but it's interesting that she had a dehydrator and tried to hide it....
If it has been deemed accidental, I'm sure the police have done due investigation into the matter and determined no foul play, but it's interesting that she had a dehydrator and tried to hide it.
In her statement she also admitted lying to authorities about a food dehydrator seized by police from a local tip during investigations last week.
She said she had been questioned by her estranged husband as to whether she had poisoned his parents, and so panicked and disposed of the dehydrator as she was worried she might lose custody of their children.
I really don't mean to create conspiracy theories here, as I'm sure the last week has been hellish enough for her, but I also do wonder if it's possible that she dehydrated the mushrooms herself and (accidentally) poisoned her family, only to blame it on supermarket mushrooms. I, like you, am confused that mushrooms for sale wouldn't be better vetted.
Also, not that it matters, but the whole meal seems like an odd affair. The article describes her husband as estranged, but both he and his parents were invited to the meal. If nothing else it certainly would have been an interesting meal.
Again, I'm not trying to create a conspiracy or accuse her of murder, I'm trusting that the police have already asked and answered these questions. It is, however, an unusual case.
“ If it has been deemed accidental, I'm sure the police have done due investigation into the matter and determined no foul play,” She’s not facing charges, but it’s her that said it was an...
“ If it has been deemed accidental, I'm sure the police have done due investigation into the matter and determined no foul play,”
She’s not facing charges, but it’s her that said it was an accident not the police. I don’t think they’ve wrapped it up yet.
To add to this, you'd think if the mushrooms at the market weren't better vetted, then there would be others suffering from purchasing and ingesting dangerous mushrooms, which I can't find...
To add to this, you'd think if the mushrooms at the market weren't better vetted, then there would be others suffering from purchasing and ingesting dangerous mushrooms, which I can't find evidence of. Obviously searching for that information is a little more difficult right now, so it's possible that it is happening and I'm just unable to find any stories about it.
As someone who's been dipping my toes into the world of mushroom identification and, this year, began foraging for mushrooms (carefully!), this article intrigued me. Quick summary:
This line especially jumped out to me, and I'm honestly surprised it's not getting more notice:
Assuming true, I find it to be shocking that mushrooms sold commercially weren't more carefully vetted. For reference, the death cap (Amanita phalloides) earns its name, and is among the most toxic mushrooms out there.
Living in Canada, I have no clue what food regulation is like in Australia, but this seems pretty egregious, no?
If it has been deemed accidental, I'm sure the police have done due investigation into the matter and determined no foul play, but it's interesting that she had a dehydrator and tried to hide it.
I really don't mean to create conspiracy theories here, as I'm sure the last week has been hellish enough for her, but I also do wonder if it's possible that she dehydrated the mushrooms herself and (accidentally) poisoned her family, only to blame it on supermarket mushrooms. I, like you, am confused that mushrooms for sale wouldn't be better vetted.
Also, not that it matters, but the whole meal seems like an odd affair. The article describes her husband as estranged, but both he and his parents were invited to the meal. If nothing else it certainly would have been an interesting meal.
Again, I'm not trying to create a conspiracy or accuse her of murder, I'm trusting that the police have already asked and answered these questions. It is, however, an unusual case.
“ If it has been deemed accidental, I'm sure the police have done due investigation into the matter and determined no foul play,”
She’s not facing charges, but it’s her that said it was an accident not the police. I don’t think they’ve wrapped it up yet.
To add to this, you'd think if the mushrooms at the market weren't better vetted, then there would be others suffering from purchasing and ingesting dangerous mushrooms, which I can't find evidence of. Obviously searching for that information is a little more difficult right now, so it's possible that it is happening and I'm just unable to find any stories about it.