Australia mushroom trial live: Erin Patterson says she felt anxious at hospital that doctors suspected death cap mushroom poisoning
Summary
Erin says: “What are you saying I was doing?” Rogers replies: “Thinking about ways to cover your tracks.” Patterson says: “I’m sure I did some thinking during that time but it wasn’t about covering my tracks.” The terse exchange is one of several during Patterson’s cross-examination today. Prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC says Patterson used the more than 90 minutes she was away from the Leongatha hospital to work out what to do next week after she realised medical authorities were aware of the death cap mushroom poisoning. Mairim Cespon, a registered nurse at the hospital, previously told the trial that after the first bowel movement Patterson told her “it does look like a wee but it’s a bowel motion”. Rogers shows the court a bowel chart for Patterson, previously tendered, which shows five documented bowel motions on 31 July 2023 while at Leongatha hospital. She says tending to her animals and packing her daughter’s ballet bag did not take up the full period she was away from the hospital. Patterson says she “didn’t want to think I was an idiot” so explained it was a stool.
