Doctor’s Gut Feeling: “She’s Guilty” in Mushroom Poisoning Case

First responder speaks out about unsettling encounter with **Erin Patterson**.

The doctor who first treated **Erin Patterson** after a deadly mushroom lunch says he immediately suspected foul play. According to him, one particular answer she gave raised serious red flags that day, and that feeling has stuck with him ever since.

Initial Suspicions Arise

When **Erin Patterson** arrived at Leongatha Hospital complaining of gastro-like symptoms, just hours after her former in-laws **Heather** and **Ian Wilkinson** were admitted to intensive care, **Dr. Chris Webster** was on duty. She claimed the mushrooms came from a grocery store.

“If she had said she foraged them herself, it might be a tragic mistake. But that answer? That’s when I thought – you’re guilty,” **Webster** stated.

**Patterson** was later convicted of murdering **Heather**, **Don**, and **Gail Patterson**, along with the attempted murder of **Ian**, after they consumed a beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms at her home.

**Webster** said her response immediately raised concerns. “I knew from that moment. And I stand by that call.”

Alerting the Authorities

**Webster** was the first person to contact the police after what he called a disturbing interaction with **Patterson**, which he says he remembers vividly. This aligns with a 2023 study that found that medical professionals’ early suspicions can significantly influence the direction of criminal investigations involving unusual or suspected poisonings (National Institutes of Health).

“She doesn’t exist on the same level of reality as most people,” he commented. “There’s an eerie disquiet being around her. She’s not menacing… just cold. It gets under your skin.”

Inside the Hospital

Security footage from the hospital shows **Patterson** arriving calmly before discharging herself against medical advice. Additional footage shows another doctor photographing the leftover beef Wellington, as part of the effort to identify the specific toxins involved.

**Webster**, who also treated **Heather Wilkinson**, described her as gentle and thoughtful. “She told me the meal was delicious,” he recalled. “**Heather** and **Ian** were quiet but not distressed. They were mindful of each other. It was incredibly sad.”

Small Town Impact

The deadly mushroom case has deeply affected the small community of Leongatha, where some hospital employees knew the victims personally. “One of my colleagues was close friends with them. We had to be careful how we talked about it in the tea room,” **Webster** explained. “When the trial began, it was almost a relief. We could finally speak openly.”

Now, he’s speaking publicly to share his perspective. “I’m a small cog in a complex machine. But if people are going to talk about my role, I’d rather they hear it from me.”

Key Evidence: The Initial Call

Shortly after **Erin Patterson** left the hospital, **Dr. Chris Webster** called the police to report his concerns about a potential poisoning. This call was a key moment in the prosecution’s case.

Here’s part of that exchange:

Operator: “Hello, what address do you need. The police?”

Dr. Webster: “This is **Dr. Chris Webster** from Leongatha Hospital. I have a concern about a patient who presented here earlier, but has left the building and is potentially exposed to a fatal toxin from mushroom poisoning.

“I have tried several times to get her on her mobile phone.”

Operator: “What’s her name?”

Dr. Webster: “The last name is Patterson. P-A-T-T-E-R-S-O-N.”

Operator: “First name?”

Dr. Webster: “Erin. E-R-I-N.”

Operator: “When did she present at hospital?”

Webster: “At 8:05.”

Operator: “Today?”

Operator: “Mushroom poisoning, you said?”

Dr. Webster: “Yes, so there were five people who ate a meal on Saturday. Two of them are in intensive care at Dandenong Hospital. Two have been transferred to Dandenong Hospital. And **Erin** presented this morning with symptoms of poisoning.”

Operator: “And what happened when she presented? She just got up and left?”

Dr. Webster: “No, there was time for a nurse to begin observations, and I was managing the other critically unwell patients, so I had a brief chat with her about where the mushrooms were obtained. After that, while I was attending the other patients, the nurse informed me she had discharged herself against medical advice.”

“She was only here for five minutes.”

Operator: “ I’ve got the police notified for ***. Would you like them to contact you with an outcome?”

Dr. Webster: “Yes, I would be happy for them to contact me at any time on the mobile number.”

“Thank you very much for your help.”

**Patterson** is scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks.