A top expert on deadly mushrooms says the people who died after eating lunch at Erin Patterson’s home might have lived — if doctors had been better prepared.
Patterson was found guilty of murdering her ex-husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt, Heather Wilkinson, after they ate beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms. Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, also got very sick but survived after spending weeks in the hospital and receiving a liver transplant.
The deadly meal happened on July 29, 2023, at Patterson’s home in Leongatha, Victoria. All four guests got sick shortly after, and three of them later died.
But now, a leading U.S. doctor who studies death cap mushrooms says there’s another layer to the tragedy: he believes the treatment used in Australia may not have worked — and might even be outdated.
“The Drug They Used Was Basically Useless,” Says Mushroom Expert
The doctor, who goes by Dr. L and asked not to share his full name, told reporters that the main drug used in Australia for treating death cap mushroom poisoning doesn’t really help.
In fact, he said the victims could have had a better chance if different treatments were used and if doctors had been more familiar with how fast and deadly the mushroom’s poison (called amatoxin) can be.
“The medical advice used in Australia is probably behind the times,” Dr. L said. “Doctors there don’t often deal with death cap poisoning — it’s rare — so they don’t realize how quickly patients can go downhill.”
Could These Deaths Have Been Prevented?
According to Dr. L, more updated treatments and faster action could have made a difference. He believes Don, Gail, and Heather might have suffered less — and maybe even survived — if handled differently.
The case shocked the nation and led to a huge investigation. Now, with Erin Patterson found guilty, new questions are being raised about how well the medical system was able to respond to such a rare and dangerous emergency.
