AFTER her arrest at 8am this morning, Thursday, November 2, and the execution of a search warrant at her home in Leongatha, Erin Patterson, 49, has been transferred to the Wonthaggi Police Station this afternoon for questioning.
Ms Patterson was driven into the back carpark at the Wonthaggi Police Station, arriving shortly after 2.30pm, and taken inside by police officers, together with her legal representatives, for questioning in relation to the incident of alleged mushroom poisoning at her Leongatha home on Saturday, July 29.
Subsequently three of the people who sat down at a meal of beef Wellington on that day, Erin's mother and father-in-law Don Patterson and Gail Patterson, and also Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson all died, and Heather's husband Ian was hospitalised in a critical condition for seven weeks, only being discharged on September 23.
Police had the assistance of Australian Federal Police technology detection dogs while conducting a thorough search of Ms Patterson's home, outbuildings and car.
The arrest of Ms Patterson was reported in a police media release at around 9am and, following that, at 1pm on Thursday, the leader of the investigation, Homicide Detective Inspector Dean Thomas addressed the media, essentially to reiterate what had already been said in the media statement.
He did, however, make an appeal to media and the community not to speculate about what might come next, stressing that Ms Patterson had not been charged and police investigations are ongoing.
Ms Patterson has maintained her innocence throughout.
Det Insp Thomas also made an appeal to anyone with relevant information to make contact with local police or by contacting Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
