Ruth Dubois, who works in administration, is the daughter of Ian and Heather Wilkinson and the niece of Don and Gail Patterson.
Dubois was in tears as she took the oath upon entering the witness box.
Heather and Ian Wilkinson.
She told the jury she had known Erin Patterson since Erin started dating Simon Patterson.
Dubois described Erin as an acquaintance, and said the extent of their relationship involved saying hello to each other on the street.
“I didn’t really know her,” she said.
On July 20, 2023, Dubois said, she had lunch at Ian and Heather’s house in Korumburra with several other family members.
During the meal, Heather brought up Erin’s invitation to the lunch on July 29, 2023.
“She said that at church the previous weekend she was talking with Gail after the service and Erin had come to them after the service and said: ‘Just the two I was looking for’, and invited them to lunch,” Dubois said.
Dubois told the jury she responded with “Really?” to what her mother said, who replied: “Yes, we were surprised also.”
“That had never happened before,” she said.
After her parents had lunch at Erin’s home, Dubois said she got a message from Simon saying her parents were in hospital.
“He told us that Don and Gail had presented at the Korumburra Hospital … that had prompted him to be concerned about mum and dad, so he had tried to contact them and when he was unable to reach them he went to their house where he found them quite unwell,” Dubois said.
Dubois said she then travelled to Leongatha Hospital.
The jury heard that while Ian and Heather were in Leongatha Hospital, Don and Gail were taken to Dandenong Hospital. Ambulances were also organised to take Heather and Ian to the same hospital.
Dubois said the doctors said they suspected mushrooms could have caused the illness, and mentioned the possibility it was death cap mushroom poisoning.
Dubois has concluded her evidence. She was not cross-examined and has been excused.
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