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Original poster

The mushroom poisoning in Vic.... I am gripped

989 replies

Dustyblue · 09/08/2023 04:58

This has been all over the news. I live one town over from Leongatha and believe me, it's the talk of the towns.

We have loads of mushrooms around our place but wouldn't dream of eating them. About 90% of foraged mushrooms in Australia are poisonous.

Then again, you do get groups of people who think they know what they're doing, and perhaps they do.

Meanwhile this is suss-as.

Three people died from suspected mushroom poisoning after sharing a meal. Here's what we know - ABC News

Three dead and another fighting for life: What we know so far about suspected mushroom poisonings in Victoria

Police continue to investigate three suspected mushroom poisoning deaths after a family lunch last month in Leongatha in Victoria's east. Detectives have not laid any charges, but say the woman who served the meal remains a suspect. Here's what we know...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-09/poisonous-mushroom-deaths-victoria-leongatha-explainer/102703430

OP posts:
Thread gallery
42
MrsRobinsonsHandprints · 10/08/2023 08:41

@velvetandsatin yep, you crack on in your world of make believe.

PretzelKnot · 10/08/2023 08:42

TheBrightestStarInTheSky · 10/08/2023 08:03

She wanted the inheritance money.
Her ex had a lucky escape.

She inherited a large sum from her mother in 2019 and owned multiple properties outright. She was the one with the money.

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 08:45

MrsRobinsonsHandprints · 10/08/2023 08:41

@velvetandsatin yep, you crack on in your world of make believe.

Oh, am I hallucinating the police updates on the news?

Janieforever · 10/08/2023 08:53

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 08:45

Oh, am I hallucinating the police updates on the news?

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Everyone can read or listen to the news. The case is being reported globally. It is not only beamed into your living room. That’s the point being made.

MILLYmo0se · 10/08/2023 08:57

Dustyblue · 10/08/2023 05:23

Just to throw a spanner in this theory, she owns the house she's in now and the house he's living in. And a few others in town. Money wouldn't seem to be a motivator here.

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So the ex husband probably has as much motive as she does then? He possibly inheriets from his family, gets rid of her and gets the kids and house to live in while shes in jail?
Unless he pulled out late into the lunch im not understanding why she'd have gone ahead with murder, she wouldnt inherit anything with the ex atill alive (doesnt sound like she needed money either) and killing him later on would be incredibly suspicious and stupid on her part. And if we are talking about how people come across in interviews etc he is making himself very front and centre in tge medua
Unless she did just want to kill them and hoped losing his extended family would drive the ex back to her?
Honestly, if she wanted to kill them wouldnt she pick the mushrooms in season, throw them into a dish that she doesnt like or cant eat, serve it uo and plead it all as a mistake? Seems like a very silly way for her to commit the crime. I just hope whatever happened that there is definite proof as to who did it and no one is convicted and how they react in the media

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 08:57

Janieforever · 10/08/2023 08:53

Everyone can read or listen to the news. The case is being reported globally. It is not only beamed into your living room. That’s the point being made.

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But not everyone can watch the local news. I understand there is some reporting in other parts of the world.

JustAnotherUsey · 10/08/2023 09:03

Dustyblue · 10/08/2023 05:23

Just to throw a spanner in this theory, she owns the house she's in now and the house he's living in. And a few others in town. Money wouldn't seem to be a motivator here.

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Maybe she didn't like the idea of giving him 1/2 of everything in a divorce

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 10/08/2023 09:05

And if we are talking about how people come across in interviews etc he is making himself very front and centre in tge medua

And he is a massive twat for making things worse for their kids. Of course, he is right to help the police as much as he can, but he doesn't have to be in the media, making accusations about the mother of his kids that are just going to pile on the misery for them.

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 09:08

And if we are talking about how people come across in interviews etc he is making himself very front and centre in tge medua

I haven't seen a peep out of him. The press and "friends" and other unnamed "sources" are either dragging up old social media posts he made about his time in hospital last year, or stating what they say he has said to them privately.

Janieforever · 10/08/2023 09:09

MILLYmo0se · 10/08/2023 08:57

So the ex husband probably has as much motive as she does then? He possibly inheriets from his family, gets rid of her and gets the kids and house to live in while shes in jail?
Unless he pulled out late into the lunch im not understanding why she'd have gone ahead with murder, she wouldnt inherit anything with the ex atill alive (doesnt sound like she needed money either) and killing him later on would be incredibly suspicious and stupid on her part. And if we are talking about how people come across in interviews etc he is making himself very front and centre in tge medua
Unless she did just want to kill them and hoped losing his extended family would drive the ex back to her?
Honestly, if she wanted to kill them wouldnt she pick the mushrooms in season, throw them into a dish that she doesnt like or cant eat, serve it uo and plead it all as a mistake? Seems like a very silly way for her to commit the crime. I just hope whatever happened that there is definite proof as to who did it and no one is convicted and how they react in the media

Show quote history

I don’t think any one ever can describe the method of mass murder as a sensible way to go about it.

And I think trying to twist it to blame the unwell ex husband of wanting to mass murder his whole family a bit much. You know, The poor bastard. Who spent 15 weeks in a coma last year and is still under serious medical care, the one who may also have been poisoned, and who wasn’t even at the lunch, so couldnt be sure what his own kids would eat, never mind live in her home or take part in the cooking.

It’s a bit of a stretch really.

Mummyoflittledragon · 10/08/2023 09:10

JustAnotherUsey · 10/08/2023 09:03

Maybe she didn't like the idea of giving him 1/2 of everything in a divorce

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I was wondering that as well. Idk what the law is in Aus re inheritance.

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 10/08/2023 09:11

JustAnotherUsey · 10/08/2023 09:03

Maybe she didn't like the idea of giving him 1/2 of everything in a divorce

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How would killing a load of other people, in a way that will inevitably focus suspicion on her, help? Even if she had planned to kill the ex too, why did she go ahead, once he pulled out of the meal? She would have to be phenomenally stupid not to realise that she would be the chief suspect if 4 people get poisoned by a meal that she cooked.

The very fact that she is such an obvious suspect - the only realistic suspect - makes me struggle to believe she did it deliberately, unless the reason was homicidal rage/love of poisoning and she didn't care about being caught. No other motive makes sense.

Bruisername · 10/08/2023 09:11

If this was a cunning plan as a few have described upthread - surely she would have admitted using the mushrooms upfront and this would have all been put down to a tragic accident?

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 09:15

And he is a massive twat for making things worse for their kids.

He hasn't done anything.

Haven't you been all over this thread rapping people's knuckles for allegedly racing to judgement?

SuddenlyOld · 10/08/2023 09:16

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 08:36

If she has told the police lies they can prove are lies then maybe but it's not certain.

It has already been established she told the police lies. She told them she bought the mushrooms in a local shop. So she's covering up something.

How do you know this was a lie? I haven't seen that reported anywhere.

MILLYmo0se · 10/08/2023 09:19

Janieforever · 10/08/2023 09:09

I don’t think any one ever can describe the method of mass murder as a sensible way to go about it.

And I think trying to twist it to blame the unwell ex husband of wanting to mass murder his whole family a bit much. You know, The poor bastard. Who spent 15 weeks in a coma last year and is still under serious medical care, the one who may also have been poisoned, and who wasn’t even at the lunch, so couldnt be sure what his own kids would eat, never mind live in her home or take part in the cooking.

It’s a bit of a stretch really.

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Its ALL a bit mad and a bit of a stretch tbh, no one even knows that he was poisoned. Its not that I think he did it, or is a more likely culprit than her, Im just very confused as to what she had to gain by killing them. If she only realised he wasnt coming after she dished up the mushrooms than yes, it makes more sense, but killing them without getting him out of the way first/too seems pointless. Maybe shes a narcissist that thought she d get away with killing him seperately, who knows
Her mayve not wanting to split prooertt in divorce is a very good point, but again, she didnt poison the only person involved in that
Apologies, I thought he had given press/ radio interview, dont know how I confused that

Gogodonu · 10/08/2023 09:21

PretzelKnot · 10/08/2023 08:42

She inherited a large sum from her mother in 2019 and owned multiple properties outright. She was the one with the money.

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I wonder how her mother died….

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 10/08/2023 09:22

Bruisername · 10/08/2023 09:11

If this was a cunning plan as a few have described upthread - surely she would have admitted using the mushrooms upfront and this would have all been put down to a tragic accident?

Yes - to believe she did it deliberately, you have got to believe she was incredibly cunning about some aspects (I have got to admit that I love the Midsomer Murders-iness of a homicidal beef Wellington), yet incredibly stupid about other aspects. That's definitely not impossible - clever people do stupid things - but it still seems a bit odd since, as you say, the whole beauty of mushroom poisoning is the potential for claiming it was an accident.

And why dump the hydrator? If she did it deliberately, the hydrator backs up the accident excuse: it's harder to recognise poisonous mushrooms once they've been dried. You would want as much evidence as possible of normal cooking activities involving the mushrooms. To me, dumping the hydrator, especially in the local tip, is more suggestive of panic after an accident.

ballsdeep · 10/08/2023 09:22

FamBae · 09/08/2023 09:54

Not a single tear, I was on a jury where the accused "cried" through the whole of his cross examination, he really shouldn't have given evidence as he didn't actually shed a tear, it really didn't help his verdict which was guilty; also if it was me I would be shouting the name of the store where I bought the mushrooms from the roof tops, she also avoids confirming whether or not there was actually mushrooms in the dish ... Dodgy as F. in my opinion.

I was just thinking that! It’s like my child trying to get out of trouble with her fake tears!!!

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 10/08/2023 09:24

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 09:15

And he is a massive twat for making things worse for their kids.

He hasn't done anything.

Haven't you been all over this thread rapping people's knuckles for allegedly racing to judgement?

Article

When the media quote "friends of Simon", that means, "Simon".

Mushroom poisoning twist: Lunch guest pulled out 'at the last minute'

The ex-husband of a woman who hosted a poisonous lunch where four people fell ill - three of whom have since died - had been invited to the deadly lunch. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12387287/Leongatha-mushroom-poisoning-Ex-husband-Simon-Patterson-pulled-lethal-lunch-minute.html

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 10/08/2023 09:32

ballsdeep · 10/08/2023 09:22

I was just thinking that! It’s like my child trying to get out of trouble with her fake tears!!!

Show quote history

Exactly the same was said about Lindy Chamberlain and Kathleen Folbigg- link. Women get falsely convicted for not being 'womanly' enough in their responses.

None of us has any idea how we would react. I have broken the news of a relative's death to thousands of people and only a small percentage react in the stereotypical way - immediate crying etc. More people are silent and withdrawn. Others make jokes or ask about trivial things- it's a form of denial because they are struggling to process what happened. If they were being video-ed by the media, their reactions would all "look guilty".

Two 'serious miscarriages of justice', but the Folbigg and Chamberlain cases are very different, legal expert says

Both Lindy Chamberlain and Kathleen Folbigg have now been pardoned after they were accused of the most heinous crimes, and while their stories appear similar, they also differ in major ways, a legal expert says.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-10/kathleen-folbigg-and-lindy-chamberlain-journey-to-justice-/102454782

Choux · 10/08/2023 09:34

Russooooo · 10/08/2023 08:21

Am I right in thinking this is a small town, everyone knows everyone type situation? It seems weird that there have been so few comments from anyone else in the community.

If she was well loved and thought of locally wouldn't people be supporting her and saying they couldn't believe she would ever do such a thing as she was such a kind and lovely soul?

They would be upset that she was being tried by media and try to support her by making even an anonymous comment to the media. Instead we have tumbleweed.

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 09:37

When the media quote "friends of Simon", that means, "Simon".

So.... speculation is fine when you do it. In fact, it is a higher art. But when anyone else does, you pluck out Lindy Chamberlain, and try to silence them with shame.

FallingStar21 · 10/08/2023 09:42

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 09:37

When the media quote "friends of Simon", that means, "Simon".

So.... speculation is fine when you do it. In fact, it is a higher art. But when anyone else does, you pluck out Lindy Chamberlain, and try to silence them with shame.

This

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 10/08/2023 09:49

velvetandsatin · 10/08/2023 09:37

When the media quote "friends of Simon", that means, "Simon".

So.... speculation is fine when you do it. In fact, it is a higher art. But when anyone else does, you pluck out Lindy Chamberlain, and try to silence them with shame.

Where have I tried to silence anyone? All I have said is that we cannot know for sure, and that we should keep an open mind.

I'm participating in the discussion. I'm intrigued by the case, and I'm not pretending otherwise.

What I find disturbing, is people deciding definitively that she is guilty on the basis of how she reacted in a video, or speculation about motives that make no sense. Or - worst of all - the fact that she has no commented in a police interview. Anyone who thinks that is indicative of guilt is displaying profound ignorance of the criminal justice system.

And I make no apologies at all for pointing out similar cases where the obvious suspect was found guilty in the court of public opinion, but turned out to be innocent. Those cases are precisely why we should avoid leaping to judgement. If you feel shamed by me pointing that out, maybe take a look at your own behaviour?