April 30 (UPI) — An Australian woman accused of killing three members of her family after serving a toxic wild mushroom meal said in court Wednesday it was a “terrible accident.”
The trial for Erin Patterson began in Morwell in the province of Victoria in southeast Australia, with her defense claiming she did not intentionally plan to serve the poisonous lunch to beloved family members but “panicked” after.
“The overarching issue is whether she intended to kill or cause very serious injury,” stated Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale.
Patterson, 50, was charged with the murder of three extended family members and attempted murder of another after she allegedly served a poisonous beef wellington lunch on July 29, 2023 at her home…