The woman at the centre of the deadly Victoria mushroom lunch has given her account of events in a lengthy statement to police.
The ABC obtained the statement of Erin Patterson which outlines what she claims happened before and after the lunch she served up which later led to the deaths of three people from suspected death cap mushroom poisoning.
Patterson is a suspect as police investigate whether it was a case of accidental poisoning or something more sinister.
The statement was sent to Victoria Police on Friday, according to ABC.
"I am now wanting to clear up the record because I have become extremely stressed and overwhelmed by the deaths of my loved ones," Patterson said.
"I am hoping this statement might help in some way. I believe if people understood the background more, they would not be so quick to rush to judgement.
"I am now devastated to think that these mushrooms may have contributed to the illness suffered by my loved ones. I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people whom I loved."
In the statement Patterson claims she bought the mushrooms, which Patterson confirmed were served up in a beef wellington, from an Asian grocery store. Patterson also said she was hospitalised after eating the meal.
Patterson said her children had gone to the movies before the lunch on July 29 and weren't present with her and her four guests, who were mother and father-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, Gail Patterson's sister, Heather Wilkinson and her husband Ian Wilkinson.
Don, Gail and Heather all later died in hospital, with Ian left fighting for his life in critical condition.
In the statement, Patterson said the mushrooms used in the meal were a mixture of button mushrooms bought from a major supermarket chain, and dried mushrooms purchased at an Asian grocery store in Melbourne months ago.
ABC reports she said her children ate lunch leftovers the next night but the mushrooms were scraped off the meal as they don't like them.
The family of Ian Wilkinson said they wanted to thank the Austin Hospital staff for their unwavering care and support, as well as members of the public who've sent cards and letters. (Source: Breakfast)
She also claims she was hospitalised with stomach pains and diarrhoea, needing to receive saline from a drip and put on a "liver protective drug". Patterson said an ambulance took her from Leongatha Hospital to Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne on July 31.
ABC said The Gippsland Southern Health Service confirmed to it that a fifth person presented at Leongatha Hospital on July 30 with suspected food poisoning and they later returned and were sent to Monash.
Patterson said she provided samples of the lunch to hospital toxicologists for examination and was also in contact with the Department of Health.
Patterson admitted lying to police investigators that a food dehydrator found at a local tip had been dumped by her months ago.
Her statement said she actually dumped the food dehydrator after the lunch as her ex-husband, and the son of dead couple Don and Gail, asked her if she used it to poison those in attendance, causing her to panic and dump it at the tip as she feared losing custody of her kids.
Patterson confirmed her ex-husband Simon Patterson was meant to be at the lunch but declined a day before it happened.
The investigation is continuing.
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