An Australian woman who cooked a mushroom lunch that led to the suspected poisoning deaths of three of her guests has been charged with murder.
Erin Patterson, 49, who has maintained her innocence since the incident, was arrested on Thursday morning before police spent the day searching her home east of Melbourne.
It comes after she served a beef wellington she had made at a family lunch, after which four people fell ill, three of whom - including her estranged husband's parents - tragically died.
Toxicology reports have suggested the deceased had ingested death cap mushrooms, which are highly poisonous, though Erin has maintained that she did not intentionally poison her guests.
Erin had invited her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, both 70, as well as Gail's sister Heather, 66, and her husband Ian Wilkinson, 68, to dinner at her home in Leongatha, Gippsland, in Australia on July 29. Her estranged husband Simon had been invited but had not attended.
All four fell severely ill shortly afterward, with Heather, Gail, and Don tragically dying in hospital days later. Ian was the sole survivor, having been discharged from hospital after over seven weeks of treatment.
Erin was named a suspect after she and her two children appeared unharmed after the lunch, and she was taken into custody on Thursday.
Homicide Inspector Dean Thomas stressed how complex the case is, saying in a press conference that it is a tragedy that may "reverberate for years to come".
He added: "I cannot think of another investigation that has generated this level of media and public interest, not only here in Victoria, but also nationally and internationally."
Erin had claimed she was also taken to hospital after the meal as she had suffered stomach pains, and was put on a drip and given medication to protect her liver from damage.
She added that her children had eaten some of the leftovers the following day but the mushrooms had been scraped off as they don't like them.
She had claimed she'd made the beef wellington using a mix of button mushrooms she'd bought in a supermarket as well as dried mushrooms she'd purchased at an Asian grocery store months before.
In a written statement sent to Victoria Police obtained by ABC News, Erin added: "I am now wanting to clear up the record because I have become extremely stressed and overwhelmed by the deaths of my loved ones.
"I am hoping this statement might help in some way. I believe if people understood the background more, they would not be so quick to rush to judgment.
"I am now devastated to think that these mushrooms may have contributed to the illness suffered by my loved ones.
"I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people, whom I loved."
She also spoke of her relationship with Simon's family, adding: "I had a deep love and respect for Simon’s parents and had encouraged my children to spend time with their grandparents as I believed they were exceptional role models."
Poisoning symptoms after ingesting death cap mushrooms often begin with "violent" vomiting and diarrhea, as well as low blood pressure around eight to 12 hours after it enters the system. Patients tend to feel better after around 24 hours, which lasts for up to 72 hours before symptoms of liver and kidney failure kick in around three to six days after ingesting the poison.
Death cap mushrooms, which grow around Victoria, can be extremely deadly, and urgent medical attention must be sought if a person believes they may have come into contact with them, as it is responsible for around 90 percent of mushroom poisoning deaths.
