Erin Patterson, the Australian woman accused of killing three relatives with a mushroom-laced lunch, claims she also became sick from the same meal, her defense said during closing arguments of her trial.

Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering her estranged husband’s parents and aunt by serving them beef Wellington with deadly death cap mushrooms in July 2023. She also faces an attempted murder charge for her husband’s uncle, who survived after a long hospital stay.

Throughout the seven-week trial, Patterson has maintained her innocence. Her lawyer, Colin Mandy, argued that she too showed genuine symptoms—like low potassium and high haemoglobin—that couldn’t be faked.

He admitted Patterson lied about using foraged mushrooms, but said it was out of panic, not guilt. “She feared being blamed for a tragedy she never intended,” Mandy told the court.

Prosecutors claim Patterson faked her illness and deliberately poisoned the dish. Her estranged husband Simon had declined the lunch invitation. His parents, Don and Gail, and aunt Heather Wilkinson died within days. Heather’s husband Ian survived.

The high-profile trial, held in Morwell, Victoria, is now nearing its conclusion.