Victoria, April 17: Following a tragic incident at a wellness retreat near Ballarat in Australia, a woman died, and two others were hospitalised after consuming mushroom juice on the premises. The deceased, identified as Rachael Dixon, aged 53, hailed from Riverton in Southland, New Zealand, but was a resident of Ringwood North in Melbourne. The retreat, known as Soul Barn, promotes itself as an alternative and holistic health service, offering various events and workshops. The juice is suspected to have been made using poisonous mushrooms, which led to the tragic demise of Dixon.

According to a report from the New York Post, the incident occurred during a private event at the Soul Barn retreat, where Dixon, a personal trainer by profession, and the others ingested a drink that led to her sudden illness. Emergency services were called to the scene, but Dixon tragically passed away, while the two others were taken to the hospital for observation. Although the exact cause of Dixon's death is yet to be determined, police are investigating whether the drink contained poisonous mushrooms. Australia Shocker: Woman Throws Her Pet Dog from Shopping Centre Terrace, Jailed for 10 Years After Video Goes Viral.

As per a report by News18, contrary to speculation, experts have dismissed the notion that psychoactive mushrooms were involved in Dixon's death. Dr Alistair McTaggart, an expert in fungal genetics and evolution, explained that magic mushrooms containing psilocybin, a non-fatal compound, are different from toxic mushrooms containing lethal substances like amatoxin or aflatoxins. The tragedy has left Dixon's family and friends devastated, with her son, Matthew Mountain, expressing his profound grief on social media. Wild Mushroom Poisoning in Australia: Three Die After Having Shrooms in Family Meal Served by Daughter-in-Law.

Meanwhile, Soul Barn issued a statement clarifying that the event during which the incident occurred was facilitated by an external organiser, emphasising that their regular staff were not involved. As authorities continue their investigation into this heartbreaking incident, questions linger about the circumstances surrounding Dixon's death and the safety protocols in place at such wellness retreats.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 17, 2024 03:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).