Erin Patterson murder trial: Mushroom cook took son on hours-long trip despite feeling unwell — as it happenedBy court reporter Kristian Silva, Tim Callanan, Joseph Dunstan and Mikaela OrtolanTopic:Law, Crime and Justice4h ago4 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:24amSkip to timelineabc.net.au/news/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-live-blog-court-hearing/105272402Link copiedShareShare articleErin Patterson's triple-murder trial continues at the Latrobe Valley Law Courts in the Victorian town of Morwell.She is accused of murdering three relatives by serving them a beef Wellington laced with poisonous mushrooms.Follow the trial in our live blog.Key EventsFive things we learned from today's testimony53m ago53 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 3:38amThe trial is adjourned until Tuesday1h ago1 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 3:00amPolice interview with Erin's son ends1h ago1 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 3:00amShow all key eventsLive updatesLatestOldestKey Event53m agoFri 9 May 2025 at 3:38amFive things we learned from today's testimonyTBy Tim CallananToday we heard the remainder of the police interview with Erin Patterson's daughter as well as the full interview with her son.Here are five things the court heard:1. Erin Patterson's son described his parents' relationship as "very negative", saying Erin and Simon Patterson "had a few arguments". "I know Dad does a lot of things to try to hurt Mum, such as, messing around with the school," he said in his police interview.2. He explained he and his mother drove for an hour to a flying lesson in Tyabb the day after the lunch but it was cancelled when they were 10 minutes away so they turned around. They stopped once and bought dim sims and a hot dog and his mother had a coffee but did not use the toilet.3. Erin's son recalled a walk "during COVID times" when his mother stopped to take photos of mushrooms "because they looked nice".4. He said his mother told him the meat they ate for dinner was from reheated leftovers from the lunch she had held with Don and Gail Patterson and Ian and Heather Wilkinson.5. In his police interview, Erin's son said he went upstairs around 5:30pm on the day of the lunch and found his mother "playing Lego". The court also heard Erin had a Lego set at her Mount Waverley home, which Erin's son used when they stayed in Melbourne.Copy linkKey Event1h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 3:00amThe trial is adjourned until TuesdayTBy Tim CallananThat's the end of court proceedings today.The jury has left the court room and Monday is a rest day, so the trial will resume on Tuesday.We'll resume our live blog of the trial when it resumes.Copy linkKey Event1h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 3:00amPolice interview with Erin's son endsTBy Tim CallananErin's son is asked if he knows if his mother has a dehydrator and he says no.He says he, his sister and his mother stayed in a house in Mount Waverley during the Easter school holidays for three to five days but he can't remember any outings with his mother.He says he didn't go shopping with her mother but helped carry groceries in from the car.The interview jumps to Erin's son's school arrangements and he explains he changed schools recently because there weren't enough teachers at his previous school.He says the move was his mother's decision and he agreed to move.The police officer asks if there's anything important that he'd like to say and Erin's son says no and agrees that everything he's spoken about is what happened.The police interview ends and the court breaks for the day.Copy linkKey Event1h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:53amErin took photo of mushrooms 'because they looked nice', son saysTBy Tim CallananThe interviewing police officer asks Erin's son about what he recalls about clearing away plates from the lunch."They were white plates about 15 centimetres in diameter," he says.He says they were plates his mother would serve dinner on. They were just plain white plates, all the same, he says."Was there anything left on those plates?" he is asked. He says no.Erin's son is asked if he likes mushrooms and he says he doesn't really like "how squishy and mushy" they are. He says he's never been foraging for mushrooms with his parents.He remembers his mother once taking a photo of mushrooms when they were on a walk "because they looked nice" and it was "a very fond memory in his head".This was around July or August, 2020 he says. He's not aware of his parents ever picking mushrooms.Copy linkKey Event1h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:46amErin was 'feeling dizzy and clammy'TBy Tim CallananHe says his mother said after dinner on Sunday that she was feeling dizzy and had diarrhea. He confirms his mother told him she knew "Gail and Don were unwell".He says his mother woke him up around 6.30am Monday and he came downstairs for breakfast. Erin drove the children to the bus stop.He explains he was told at the school around midday that his mother was unwell and he and his sister were taken to the hospital to see her. She was "tired", he says and they spoke about his day at school and how she was feeling that day."She said she was feeling clammy and dizzy," he says.He says she told him that morning before school that she had been to the toilet a few times during the night. He explains he saw Erin having a coffee downstairs that morning.Erin's son says a toxicologist came into the hospital room while he was there with his mother and he had to leave the room.The interview is jumping back and forth chronologically while the police officer clarifies some details.Copy linkKey Event1h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:36amLeftover meat 'some of the best' Erin's son had eatenTBy Tim CallananErin's son is now describing the leftovers that they ate for dinner which he says was "some of the best meat" he's eaten. He says it was eye fillet."It was a block, and I cut it up into cubes and ate it," he says.He says the meat did not have anything on it. He explains his mother told him it was leftovers and there was no gravy with it.He talks more about the conversation with his mother about the leftovers and he thought he had seen the meat before when his mother was preparing the lunch the day before.He says he saw meat in a frypan the morning before but he didn't see her preparing anything else. He says there was no leftover salad from the lunch.The police officer asked if the meat they ate for dinner the day after the lunch had already been cooked and was being reheated or whether it was cooked that evening.He thinks it was meat that was already cooked and was reheated but he didn't see how the meal was prepared.He says Erin made dinner for herself that night but didn't eat any of it.Copy linkKey Event2h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:30amSon says Erin did not use toilet during car tripTBy Tim CallananThe interview turns to the cancellation of Erin's son's flying lesson and he confirms his instructor called his mother when they were about ten minutes away from Tyabb.He says they turned around and drove back, stopping to get some dims sims and a hot dog while his mother got a coffee. He's not sure who ate what. They stopped for about ten minutes.He says there was no toilet where they stopped and his mother did not use a toilet. He remembers his mother "racing for the front door" when they got home and then using the toilet.Erin's son then explains they had a meal and watched TV that evening.Copy linkKey Event2h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:26am'She was playing it down', son says of mother's illnessTBy Tim CallananErin's son says his mother was "a bit quieter" than usual that morning which he thinks was because she was sick.He confirms the drive to his flying lesson was about an hour and ten minutes and he thinks they left home around midday.He is asked to talk about what happened in the time between when he first saw her that morning and when they left. He says she told him she vomited a few times overnight."She was playing it down, that's what it sounded like," he says.He says she told him she didn't want to go to church in case "she spread it to people" but was happy to drive him to his flying lesson because there would not be many people there.Erin's son says he was in the computer room most of the morning but did not notice his mother going to the bathroom in that period. He says she told him she hoped they could make it to Tyabb before she needed to go to the toilet.He confirms they did not stop and she did not go to the toilet.Copy linkKey Event2h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:14amErin tells son she was 'a bit sick' the day after lunchTBy Tim CallananPlayback of the police interview with Erin Patterson's son has resumed.He says he returned to their home with his mother about 6pm after dropping his friend home. His father dropped his sister to Erin's house later that night.He says his sister got home around 9pm but he is not sure whether his father came into the house.The police officer conducting the interview is now asking Erin's son about the day after the lunch. He says he saw his mother in the morning drinking coffee and she told him she was "feeling a bit sick" and had diarrhea.He says they were supposed to go to church but didn't end up going because his mother was unwell.He says Erin drove him to a flying lesson in Tyabb that morning but he "doesn't know why she did that" as she was unwell.Copy linkKey Event2h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:59amErin appears emotional while hearing son's interviewKBy Kristian SilvaErin Patterson was going through a range of emotions during her son’s evidence. At times she nodded along as he recounted details about the times that certain things happened, or how the house was arranged.At other moments, she appeared upset, swallowing hard and dabbing her eyes with a tissue.Copy linkKey Event2h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:50amErin's son can't recall speaking to his mother about the lunchTBy Tim CallananHe says he spent about 30 minutes with the lunch guests and he agrees that "everyone seems happy" when asked by the interviewing police officer.Erin's son says he can't remember his sister coming inside and his sister wasn't in the car when Erin drove his friend home.He says he didn't have any conversation with his mother about how the lunch went after the guests left.He says he presumes his mother was tidying up the kitchen and he remembers taking some lunch plates to the dishwasher. He says he can't remember if there was any leftovers on the plates.Erin's son says he and his friend played a game with headphones on for about two or two and a half hours and can't remember taking any toilet or drink breaks.He says he went upstairs around 5.30pm to tell his mother his friend had to go home soon. They left the home shortly after to take his friend home.Playback of the recording is then paused while the court takes a break.Copy linkKey Event3h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:29amSon can't recall dinner on the day of the lunchTBy Tim CallananErin's son is asked about what he saw when he returned to the house after seeing the film and he says there was some small talk with Don Patterson about the flying lessons he was taking.He says he doesn't know what the guests were talking about and doesn't know what they were eating but saw a fruit platter and some other food.He says the guests stayed for about half an hour after he got home. After the guests left, he and his friend played computer games and then his friend was driven home around 5pm by Erin, with all of the children in the car.He can't remember what they had for dinner that night.Copy link3h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:23amSon saw his mother preparing a saladTBy Tim CallananErin's son is now talking about the day of the lunch.He says his friend stayed at his house on the Friday night before the lunch. He says Erin told him about the lunch on the Saturday morning.He tells the officer interviewing him that he and his sister and a friend went to see a movie in Leongatha on the day of the lunch.All three were then picked up from the cinema by his father and driven back to Erin's house. He says he said hello to the lunch guests.Erin's son says she told him she wanted to talk to the guests about something and the children didn't need to be there. He says he saw her preparing a salad but didn't see any other food.Copy linkKey Event3h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:14amErin's son is asked about family relationshipsTBy Tim CallananThe conversation now turns to the lunch and Erin's son says her mother organised the lunch but didn't tell them why and there was no mention of Simon Patterson being invited.He says Erin had had Don and Gail Patterson over for dinner before but never Ian and Heather Wilkinson.The police officer asks Erin's son about Erin's relationship with Don and Gail Patterson and he says they sometimes went to their place for events.He doesn't recall "a whole lot" about the family's relationship with Ian and Heather Wilkinson and he says "it's not a negative one but it's not strong".Copy linkKey Event3h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:09amSimon and Erin Patterson's relationship 'very negative'TBy Tim CallananHe is asked about his parents' relationship and says when he was about seven years of age they "had a few arguments" and his mother moved house but they were never divorced.He says neither his mother nor his father had another relationship. He explains he goes to stay with his father over weekends and he drops them off at school on Monday morning.Erin's son says his mother used to come to his father's house on Friday nights and they would all have dinner together. He estimates this was when he was about 8 or 9 years old.He describes the relationship between his parents as "very negative". He says they wouldn't talk to each other about getting joint access to the app which contains school reports.He says his father kept trying to convince his children to keep staying with him over weekends but "they never did anything" when they stayed with him so he didn't want to.Copy linkKey Event3h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:05amPolice interview with Erin Patterson's son played to the courtTBy Tim CallananThe police interview with Erin Patterson's son is now being played to the court. The court room is told the recording will go for about one hour and 40 minutes.Erin's son gives his name and confirms his age.He is asked what he thinks it means to tell the truth and he replies "something that's right". He confirms he is going to tell the officer what really happened.He says he knows he is there to talk about the lunch which led to the deaths of three people.Erin's son names the four guests at the lunch and explains his relationship to the four people.He says the lunch happened at his mother's house and says his father was invited but didn't come. He doesn't know why his father didn't come.Copy linkKey Event3h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:00amPolice recording of interview with Erin's son is now being playedKBy Kristian SilvaAs the video interview of Erin Patterson’s daughter comes to an end, Ms Patterson appears to become emotional, slightly rocking back and forth in her seatThe jury is now shown the second interview, conducted with her then-14-year-old son. It was conducted on the same day as the daughter’s interview, August, 16, 2023, about two weeks after the fatal lunch.The footage depicts the teenager sitting in a green armchair, across from a police officer.Copy linkKey Event3h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:53amDaughter's police interview recording endsTBy Tim CallananErin's daughter is asked if she has been told anything else since the lunch or whether she has been told not to say anything.She says her father said she didn't have to talk to police if she didn't want to but she confirms she was fine to talk to the officer.That is the end of the police interview.Copy linkKey Event3h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:52amDaughter says she has never been mushroom pickingTBy Tim CallananThe police officer asks Erin's daughter what her favourite food is and she replies "ice cream".She is asked if, when she cooks with her mother, they ever used mushrooms and she says no.Erin's daughter says she has never been mushroom picking with her mother and has never seen any wild mushrooms while out with her mother.She says they sometimes buy mushrooms from the supermarket in Korumburra and she sometimes eats them.She can't remember the last time they bought mushrooms.She says she has never been to an Asian grocer with her mother.Erin's daughter explains they have a house in Glen Waverley and last went there in the school holidays.She says she didn't go to any supermarkets with her mother on that trip.Copy link3h agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:45am'Mum told me' dinner was beef Wellington leftoversTBy Tim CallananThe questions now turn to the meal. Erin's daughter is asked about her mother's cooking and she says her mother is a good cook and they sometimes help her with cooking.She is asked where she was when her mother was making dinner on the day of the lunch and she says she was on the computer."How did you know it was leftovers from the lunch?" she is asked."Mum told me," she replies.Erin's daughter is asked if she noticed her mother preparing any food on the day before the lunch and she says that she didn't see her making anything.Copy linkShow more postsPosted 4h ago4 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:24am, updated 3m ago3 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 4:28amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)TimelineRead nextTimelineKey EventsLatestFive things we learned from today's testimony53m ago53 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 3:38amThe trial is adjourned until Tuesday1h ago1 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 3:00amPolice interview with Erin's son ends1h ago1 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 3:00amErin took photo of mushrooms 'because they looked nice', son says1h ago1 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:53amErin was 'feeling dizzy and clammy'1h ago1 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:46amLeftover meat 'some of the best' Erin's son had eaten1h ago1 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:36amSon says Erin did not use toilet during car trip2h ago2 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:30am'She was playing it down', son says of mother's illness2h ago2 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:26amErin tells son she was 'a bit sick' the day after lunch2h ago2 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 2:14amErin appears emotional while hearing son's interview2h ago2 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:59amErin's son can't recall speaking to his mother about the lunch2h ago2 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:50amSon can't recall dinner on the day of the lunch3h ago3 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:29amErin's son is asked about family relationships3h ago3 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:14amSimon and Erin Patterson's relationship 'very negative'3h ago3 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:09amPolice interview with Erin Patterson's son played to the court3h ago3 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:05amPolice recording of interview with Erin's son is now being played3h ago3 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 1:00amDaughter's police interview recording ends3h ago3 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:53amDaughter says she has never been mushroom picking3h ago3 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:52amTestimony of Erin Patterson's daughter continues3h ago3 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:41amThe jury has entered3h ago3 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:37amA look back at yesterday's live blog4h ago4 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:30amHigh emotions yesterday as Erin Patterson's daughter gave evidence4h ago4 hours agoFri 9 May 2025 at 12:26amWelcome to today's blog4h ago4 hours agoThu 8 May 2025 at 11:53pmTop StoriesTaylor confirms Liberal leadership showdown with Ley, PM urges unity in caucusTopic:Government and PoliticsPhoto shows Angus Taylor press conferenceAustralia's political conclave theatrics feel blokey, but the future is femaleAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbChina criticises Australia over joint exercises in South China SeaTopic:Defence and National SecurityMourner of NT shopkeeper allegedly assaulted hours after funeralTopic:CrimeIn 10 minutes, Pope Leo XIV told us a lot about himself, and his agendaTopic:Religious LeadersJust InWhy do so many Indians continue voting Labor? 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