Child protection workers characterized Erin Patterson as “troubling,” “controlling,” and “emotionally abusive,” stating that he believed he was isolating her from her parents, a court in Victoria heard.
The worker mentioned that the following day, Patterson did not respond when asked if he had selected the mushrooms that were part of the lunch.
Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and attempted murder related to a lunch served at his residence in Leongatha, Victoria, on July 29, 2023.
He is accused of attempting to kill Simon’s parents, Don and Gale Patterson, his aunt Heather Wilkinson, and Simon’s uncle, Ian Wilkinson.
The court previously heard that guests died after being poisoned with death cap mushrooms, which were supposedly used in the preparation of individual beef Wellington.
Prosecutors allege that Patterson deliberately served the mushrooms intending to kill, while his lawyer contends that the incident was a tragic accident.
Katrina Crips testified that she received a notice on August 1, 2023, concerning her two children, Erin and Simon Patterson, regarding child protection referrals.
She recounted conversations with Simon, Patterson, and the children while they were at Monash Medical Center.
Crips noted that her colleagues documented details of their interaction with Patterson, discussing a child support application Patterson had filed the previous year and the dynamics between Simon and his parents.
During this time, Patterson indicated that Don and Gale felt like parents she never had, as her own parents had passed away, though their relationship had changed recently.
Crips testified that Patterson talked about Simon’s behavior, saying he would make her question her abilities as a parent, which she found damaging to her self-esteem.
Patterson mentioned hosting her in-laws for lunch with her kids in early 2023 because she wanted to reconnect with them.
She stated that she decided to prepare Beef Wellington for the lunch on July 29, 2023, having found the recipe in a cookbook.
Notes indicated that Patterson mentioned having eaten half of the Beef Wellington.
After being discharged from the hospital the same day, Crips visited Patterson’s home the next day.
During this visit on August 2, 2023, Patterson showed her around the house, which she believed was set up with her children’s interests in mind.
Patterson received a call from SallyAnne Atkinson from the Department of Health, which Crips overheard. Atkinson was attempting to find out where Patterson purchased the dried mushrooms for the beef Wellington.
Evidence was presented from multiple individuals stating they were aware of Patterson using dried mushrooms from an Asian grocery store for the lunch.
Crips remarked that Patterson was advised to check her bank statement during the call, and although Patterson looked at her phone, she couldn’t locate the transaction. She mentioned that it might have been a cash payment.
After the call, Crips asked Patterson if he picked the mushrooms used for the meal, but Patterson declined to answer and continued checking the phone.
During cross-examination with Patterson’s barrister, Crips acknowledged that following the conversation, she also inquired if Patterson had a support network outside of Simon and his family.
She agreed that Patterson was distressed about potentially losing her support system.
On August 4, Crips spoke with Patterson again over the phone. Patterson expressed concern regarding her lunch guests’ status, but mentioned that she was not present at the time, which she found troubling.
Crips confirmed she was aware Heather Wilkinson had passed away at that time but refrained from telling Patterson for welfare reasons, stating, “That wasn’t my place.”
Patterson also expressed her worries about privacy and security, mentioning plans to change her phone number. The trial is ongoing.
