The cause of Victorian mother Rachael Dixon’s death remains unknown after police said the results of an autopsy conducted this week came back inconclusive.
Police are continuing to investigate after Dixon allegedly consumed a drink police believe may have contained magic mushrooms on April 14.
“An autopsy has since been conducted, and at this stage, the cause of death remains unknown”, Victorian police said in a statement.
“Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances following the death of a woman in Clunes on Sunday, April 14,” they said.
Soul Barn, the Clunes health retreat that Rachael Dixon attended before losing her life remains closed while police investigate and prepare a report for the coroner.
The owners of Soul Barn had previously said the venue had been rented out for a private event at the time of the tragedy, and none of their staff had been present during the incident.
It is understood Dixon went into cardiac arrest and an ambulance was called but she passed away at the scene.
Two other people were taken to Grampians Health Ballarat Base Hospital for observation.
It is understood they were treated for shock, and have since been discharged.
The question of whether toxic mushroom ingestion was linked to Dixon’s death remains unanswered.
St Vincent’s Hospital Director of Emergency Medicine Dr Jonathan Karro said toxicity cases are not common, despite hitting the headlines of late.
“Mushroom poisoning in Victoria is very rare,” he said.
“The most common thing we would see is people ingesting psychedelic mushrooms, and even that is relatively rare”.
Dr Karro said the wider community should also be wary of “alternative” elixirs or concoctions that have not been safety tested.
Dixon’s family said she was “fit and healthy”, while her personal training client Robyn Gutterson said the woman “had a heart of gold”.
“She was wonderful,” she told 9News.
