(Sydney) An Australian woman accused of killing four people by serving them beef Wellington, garnished with poisonous mushrooms, will appear in court in May, a magistrate announced on Monday.
Erin Patterson, 49, who faces three counts, is also accused of attempting to kill her ex-husband four times.
Judge Tim Walsh adjourned the case to May 7 after Mr.me Patterson via video conference from prison.
She appeared calm and spoke only briefly to say that the liaison with the magistrate was good and to confirm the identity of her legal representatives.
In late July 2023, she allegedly poisoned her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, both aged 70, as well as local Baptist minister Ian Wilkinson, 69, and his wife Heather, 66, by serving them this specialty of the English cuisine, with Amanita phalloides, considered the deadliest mushroom in the world.
Both couples reportedly began experiencing symptoms of food poisoning later that night and with their health rapidly deteriorating, they sought help from doctors at local hospitals.
Mme and Mr Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died within days of the meal, while Ian Wilkinson eventually recovered after spending almost two months in hospital.
Their symptoms corresponded to those caused by the ingestion of Amanita phalloides, according to the police who quickly suspected Mme Patterson to be at the origin of this poisoning shortly after the fatal meal.
According to her, her husband, Simon Patterson, “got sick after meals” several times in 2021 and 2022 and she charged Erin Patterson with four counts.