The mushroom poisoning in Vic.... I am gripped - Part 2

[ImustLearn2Cook]

Hi everyone, Aussie Mumsnetter here. As some have requested a new thread be started by an Aussie I decided to do it.

I am still gripped by this case and like many, I am awaiting updates of new information.

Will a matching donor for a liver for Ian be found soon? I hope he makes a full recovery.

Will he be able to shed new light on the lunch they all shared?

And of course is she guilty of deliberately poisoning them or was it an innocent mistake?

It doesn't work on apps though.

Patience my friend. It will revive when/if she's arrested.

Ooh I found the Thanks button (swoons).

You clearly have far too much faith in the Justice system.
Sadly too many have walked free to the great grief of the victim's families.

Let's just say I have more faith in the justice system than I have in social media or vigilantes

@oakleaffy there has also been far too many innocent people falsely convicted. What exactly is your point?

@IveHadItUpToHere me too.

The justice system isn’t perfect. But nothing really is. And neither is any person who has ever existed or exists today who is perfect. So, it doesn’t really stand to reason to discredit the justice system, simply based upon its imperfections. Because absolutely nothing is perfect!

Assumptions based upon popular opinion and vigilantism are far, far less perfect or fair or reasonable in comparison to our current justice system.

Fair and reasonable judgements, processes and due process based upon objective evidence is always going to be better than mere assumptions or popular opinion or hearsay or gossip or hot tempered retaliation or revenge.

Well said @ImustLearn2Cook

It's like democracy isn't great but it's sure as hell better than any of the alternatives.

People do get away with murder , as pointed out beforehand.

Some odious cases listed above, and many more exist.

Looks like an easy way for people to bump off those they don't like, {or want a nice inheritance from} is to introduce some hard- to- detect toxic toadstools into food. The 'Perfect' murder.

''Oh sorry, my bad- whoopsie, silly dozy me, I thought they were button mushrooms- an innocent mistake ''

I don't recommend you try that approach. The justice system doesn't unquestioningly accept 'whoopsie silly me!' But you must know that.

I have no intention of killing anyone, but there are those who will probably be watching closely as how this case plays out. It has a lot of Worldwide interest.

Was it a true accident or not?

Was it malicious?

• It 'Could' be seen as a silly mistake, but anyone who forages for fungi surely owes it to themselves- and others- to absolutely be certain of the fungi's identity before ingesting it-or offering it to others:''Help yourselves''. {If you help yourselves, I haven't given it to you}.

It is concerning given that these alkaloids are so lethal in tiny doses and there isn't an antidote.

https://blog.mycology.cornell.edu/2006/11/22/i-survived-the-destroying-angel/

But if she had planned it as an ‘oops - wrong mushroom type accident’ then she would have come out and said that

its a rubbish plan if you don’t stick to it and tearfully tell the press you made a mistake etc etc

Maybe she wasn't expecting such Worldwide interest in this case.

I first heard about it in England on National news - and thought 'That's bad- how on earth did that happen?''

I'd read the Cornell mushroom blog years ago, {linked above}, and the man who survived admitted to not properly identifying the toadstool- but he at least didn't poison others.

Had the cook herself been critically ill to a level of her guests, it wouldn't have looked as suspicious.

Ditto the children, who also avoided the poisoned leftovers.

Re people getting away with crime, there was also a recent programme about a young child in Australia, Cheryl Grimmer who was abducted and presumed murdered almost 50 years ago.

It is a hard listen, especially for parents.

Her brother, {then a little boy} is completely broken by it.

https://open.spotify.com/show/3ParuHKAM33CqB9p4WjmMC

Had the cook herself been critically ill to a level of her guests, it wouldn't have looked as suspicious.

In my view, she's stupid (and arrogant) enough to think she can get away with it, but not so stupid as to want to risk liquifiying her one and only liver.

Or her childrens'.

Does anyone know how long it takes to get the toxicology reports back in a case like this?

@KatherineJaneway News reports I have read have said it may take several weeks. One news report said it could take six weeks.

There really hasn’t been any real new information yet.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/human-body/mushroom-toxin-may-have-already-left-system-before-victims-wound-up-in-hospital-after-fateful-lunch/news-story/7a83e286a88467c4e96e5f6cf87f5173?amp

This is what I'd heard, too, that it would take 'Weeks' for toxicology tests.
It's such a strange case, seemingly Death cap {Amanita -phalloides- } isn't even native to Australia , and was 'accidentally introduced'.

It's primarily found in Oak woodlands, so a cool, temperate climate is needed.
What are the chances of Patterson stumbling across these 'In the wild'.

They must be fairly rare, but according to reports, she's an 'experienced' mushroom forager.

Thanks Cook and Oak.

Initially, it was suggested it would take 6 weeks or perhaps even some months. Even if they had all the toxicology reports back, I doubt they would be informing the public of that if they are building a case.

Ian Wilkinson has been released from hospital. I assume this means he is no longer in danger of dying, but there’s no detail on his current condition or any long-term effects.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-23/mushroom-poisoning-victim-ian-wilkinson-released/102893930

@TerrorAustralis thanks for sharing and what a miracle! I hope Ian gets to recover properly 🙏
Seems there's nothing new on toxicology or Erin Patterson yet?

No mention of the toxicology. The article reiterates at the end that Erin is a suspect, but no charges have been laid.

@TerrorAustralis thx for sharing this news. It is awesome that Ian has recovered enough to leave hospital. I hope that means that he no longer needs a liver transplant.

Thank goodness he is released from hospital

That’s really great news.
Ian Wilkinson is extremely lucky to have survived.

Hopefully he can give police more information as to that lethal meal.