A 43-year-old woman from Perth has been charged after allegedly slipping snail poison into a colleague's curry at their workplace. The incident reportedly took place on February 12, when the victim, a 58-year-old woman, brought a curry for staff to share.
During a morning break, the curry container was shared among staff without any issues, according to ABC News Australia. However, at lunchtime, when the victim ate the remaining food, she noticed bright green granules in it. Tasting the food reportedly left her tongue feeling numb.
Police tests reveal pesticide
The container was kept and handed to police, whose tests allegedly showed that the pellets contained metaldehyde, a pesticide used against slugs and snails. Detectives claim that the 43-year-old woman went to the chemical storage shed, returned to the break room and allegedly mixed snail pellets into the curry.
The woman, whose name has not been revealed, is said to have been in a relationship with the colleague, according to police. Col Blanch, Western Australia's Police Commissioner, said: 'We're just very thankful that the person who tasted the curry was aware that something wasn't quite right – they clearly had some early adverse effects to that.'
Arrest and court date
The woman was arrested in the Golden Bay suburb of Perth on October 8, Nine News reports. She has been charged with one count of endangering the life, health or safety of a person, and is due to appear in court on November 5.
