An Australian woman suspected of poisoning her former in-laws and others with deadly mushrooms at a lunch she served has been charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.
Three people died after Erin Patterson, 49, served beef Wellington, a dish that includes mushrooms, to guests in July.
While three murder charges relate to the lunch, three of five attempted murder charges are linked to separate incidents between 2021-22, police say.
Ms Patterson maintains she is innocent.
She has said she did not intentionally poison her guests at the family lunch at her home in the Victoria town of Leongatha on 29 July.
Toxicology reports suggest the victims consumed deathcap mushrooms.
Her former husband Simon Patterson had also been invited to the meal, but was unable to make it at the last minute.
Along with the three murder charges, Ms Patterson has been charged with two attempted murder charges relating to the July lunch.
The police have not provided details of the two attempted murder charges. However it is known that one of the guests at the meal fell critically ill but survived.
Ms Patterson has also been charged with three counts of attempted murder linked to what police said were three separate incidents where it is alleged a 48-year-old man became ill following meals between 2021 and 2022. No further details have been given.
Source: bbc.com
