Poisoner tests her product in rest home

A Burlington, Vermont, retirement community resident made ricin and tested the deadly toxin on her neighbours by putting it on their food or in beverages over a period of weeks, investigators said.

Betty Miller told an FBI agent that she wanted to ‘‘injure herself’’ and was testing the poison’s effectiveness on other residents at the Wake Robin senior living facility, according to a criminal complaint.

A handcuffed Miller, 70, made her first appearance in federal court yesterday. Judge John Conroy noted that Miller had a ‘‘lengthy mental health history.’’

Miller was placed in custody and was scheduled to be in court again on Thursday. She said she was working on getting a lawyer.

Police were called to the senior community in Shelburne on Tuesday after Miller told heath care providers she had manufactured the ricin and placed it on other residents’ food and beverages, the agent said in the complaint.

The Health Department said yesterday that it became aware of one person who likely became ill with ricin poisoning.

Miller said she harvested 30 to 40 castor beans from plants growing on Wake Robin’s property and made 2 to 3 tablespoons of ricin twice in her kitchen, the complaint said. She exposed other residents to the ricin on at least three occasions, the complaint said. AP