Woman at centre of fatal mushroom mystery in Australia admits lying to police

The woman at the centre of an investigation into the deaths of three people who died from suspected mushroom poisoning in Australia has admitted lying to police in the early stages of the probe.

Erin Patterson, 48, served a beef wellington containing mushrooms at her Leongatha home on July 29.

She had been hosting her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, both aged 70, and who both died at hospitals.

Also at the lunch were Gail Patterson's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, who died, and her husband Ian Wilkinson, 68, a Baptist pastor who remains hospitalised in critical condition.

Ms Patterson has since revealed that she also became ill after eating the meal. She gave her first detailed account of the lunch to Victoria Police on Friday.

In her statement, obtained by ABC News, she admitted she lied to police about how long ago she dumped a food dehydrator at a local tip.

While at the hospital with her children "discussing the food dehydrator" her ex husband, whose parents died after the lunch, asked: "Is that what you used to poison them?"

Fearing she might lose custody of her children, she panicked and dumped the food dehydrator at a local tip.

It was later found by police, and Ms Patterson told them she had left the appliance at the dump "a long time ago".

In the statement, she also said she regretted giving a "no comment" interview to police in the early stages of the investigation as this was the advice she received at the time.

The interview was "terrifying and anxiety-provoking", she said, adding: "I now very much regret not answering some questions following this advice given the nightmare that this process has become."

Speaking last week, Victoria Police Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said police are keeping an 'open mind'

She said she served the beef dish and allowed guests to choose their own plate. She took the last one.

Ms Patterson said the dish contained button mushrooms from a local supermarket and dried mushrooms bought at an Asian food shop months previously.

She revealed that she also became ill after eating the meal, suffering from stomach pains and diarrhoea. She was also hospitalised, put on a drip and given a "liver protective drug".

The Department of Health contacted her after her guests fell ill. She said she kept what was left of the lunch and gave it to toxicologists for examination.

Her children were not at the meal when it was first served, she said, as they had gone to the cinema.

The children ate the leftovers from the lunch the next day - but Ms Patterson scraped the mushrooms off the meal as the children do not like mushrooms.

Her estranged husband Simon Patterson was also due to attend the lunch but cancelled the day before.

Mr Patterson reportedly spent two weeks in hospital last May with severe stomach illness unrelated to the current incident.

She said she nursed him back to health after he was discharged but the pair broke up after he recovered.

The investigation continues.

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