'Thought he was going to die': how mushroom lunch almost killed four

An intensive attraction expert believed nan only surviving impermanent of Erin Patterson's beef Wellington luncheon was going to die.

Dr Stephen Warrillow shared his concerns to a Victorian Supreme Court assemblage connected Friday arsenic Patterson stands proceedings connected 3 counts of execution and 1 count of attempted murder.

It's alleged she intentionally served beef Wellingtons laced pinch decease headdress mushrooms during a luncheon astatine her Leongatha location connected July 29, 2023.

Her erstwhile in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, each died aft consuming nan meal.

Heather's hubby Ian survived but Warrillow, nan intensive attraction head astatine Austin Health, told nan assemblage it did not look for illustration he would.

"We thought he was going to die, he was very close," Warrillow said.

Mr Wilkinson was nan 4th impermanent to beryllium transported to Austin Health pinch liver nonaccomplishment successful nan days aft nan lunch, nan expert said.

He was already intubated and suffering from acute liver nonaccomplishment erstwhile doctors began rounds of activated charcoal and vitamin C treatment.

The assemblage was told by August 4, Mr Wilkinson's information had deteriorated and he underwent a laparoscopy to cheque his bowel, though location were nary important abnormalities.

Warrillow said Mr Wilkinson past made slow but important improvements betwixt August 5 and 7.

"It was very slow because he was coming from utmost objective unwellness but he did improve," he told nan jury.

Mr Wilkinson was moved from intensive attraction to a normal ward connected August 21 and past yet discharged to a rehabilitation installation connected September 11.

His wife's information did not amended while astatine nan Austin and she died of acute liver nonaccomplishment successful nan early hours of August 4.

Gail Patterson besides died from nan aforesaid information later that day, while her hubby Don died astatine 11.30pm connected August 5.

Don had undergone a liver transplant but his information continued to get "relentlessly worse" earlier his death, Warrillow said.

Similar transplants were not undertaken for Gail and Heather arsenic they were some excessively unwell, nan expert told nan jury.

Warrillow said nan conditions of each 4 patients were accordant pinch decease headdress mushroom poisoning and nary different causes for their illnesses were found.

He told nan assemblage curen for decease headdress poisoning was not 100 per cent effective and location were precocious mortality rates moreover pinch optimal care.

Mr Wilkinson was wrong nan courtroom to perceive Warrillow's evidence, while Erin Patterson appeared visibly upset arsenic nan expert recounted Heather's condition.

She has pleaded not blameworthy to each charges and claims it was a unspeakable accident.

The proceedings will resume connected Monday morning.