A woman in Western Australia has been charged over an alleged attempt to poison a colleague by contaminating a container of curry with poisonous snail pellets at a workplace in Oldbury, south-east of Perth.

According to police, the alleged incident occurred in February 2026, when a 58-year-old woman brought a container of curry to work to share with colleagues. The meal was reportedly eaten by several employees during a morning tea break without any immediate problems being reported.

The situation changed at lunchtime when the woman returned to eat more of the remaining curry. She allegedly noticed bright green granules mixed into the food. After tasting a small amount, she experienced numbness on her tongue. The woman reportedly retained the food and handed it to police, allowing investigators to examine the suspected contamination.

Detectives from the Armadale area investigated the circumstances surrounding the incident. Police allege that, between the morning tea break and lunchtime, a 43-year-old woman accessed a chemical storage shed before returning to the staffroom where the curry was being kept.

Investigators allege that the substance was added to the food during that period. Subsequent examination identified the pellets as containing metaldehyde, a chemical used in some snail and slug control products that can be poisonous to people and animals.

Police have charged the 43-year-old woman with one count of endangering the life, health or safety of a person. Authorities have stated that the accused and the alleged victim were also in a personal relationship. The charge follows a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the suspected contamination. The accused is scheduled to appear before Armadale Magistrates Court on 5 November 2026.

Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch has highlighted the potential seriousness of allegedly contaminating another person's food with a poisonous substance. The fact that the alleged victim noticed the unusual material before consuming more of the meal was an important development in the reported incident.

Food contamination cases can create significant risks because dangerous substances may not always be immediately identifiable by sight or smell. Investigators must establish what substance was present, how it entered the food and whether the available evidence supports the allegations.

The case also highlights the importance of preserving suspected contaminated food and reporting possible poisoning incidents to authorities rather than attempting to investigate them independently.

The police allegations have not been tested in court, and the accused is entitled to the presumption of innocence. The court proceedings will determine how the matter progresses and whether the prosecution can establish the alleged offence. For now, the confirmed development is that a woman has been charged and is due to face court next month. Further details may emerge through the judicial process.