A mother in New Zealand has been found guilty of murdering her three young daughters, despite her claim of being mentally ill at the time. Lauren Dickason, aged 42, confessed to killing her 2-year-old twin daughters, Maya and Karla, as well as their 6-year-old sister, Liane, in their home nearly two years ago. While she pleaded not guilty to murder, citing severe depression stemming from postpartum depression, the jury rejected her defense. Prosecutors argued that her actions were driven by anger and resentment and presented evidence such as disturbing phone messages and internet search history. Dickason’s husband, Graham Dickason, also a medical professional, discovered their dead children upon returning from a work dinner. The guilty verdict on three counts of murder was reached after a four-week trial, and Dickason now faces a possible life sentence.
Lauren Dickason, alongside her husband, moved to New Zealand from South Africa in search of a more stable life. It was just days after their relocation to the town of Timaru when the tragic murders took place. Fearing for her own life, Dickason initially attempted to kill her children using zip ties before resorting to suffocating them with pillows. She then placed the lifeless bodies in their beds under the covers and made an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Graham Dickason, an orthopedic surgeon, had no knowledge of his wife’s capacity for such violence, despite her struggles with mental health and motherhood. The 11-1 guilty verdict was delivered by the jury after three days of deliberation. During the reading of the verdict, Dickason remained motionless, later crying as she left the courtroom. Both her lawyers and the jurors also shed tears. Dickason’s parents expressed that this behavior was far from their daughter’s true character and attributed her actions to her debilitating mental illness, urging others to be aware of postpartum depression symptoms. Detective Inspector Scott Anderson expressed his deepest sympathies to the family, acknowledging the loss of the girls’ futures and expressing the indescribable tragedy of the investigation.
Source: stuff.co.nz
“This was not our daughter, but a debilitating mental illness.” – Malcolm and Wendy Fawkes, Dickason’s parents.
In a statement, Dickason’s parents encouraged people worldwide to recognize the symptoms of postpartum depression early on, for their own well-being and the well-being of those close to them. Detective Inspector Scott Anderson expressed the deepest sympathies of the police force to the family, acknowledging their permanent loss and the heart-wrenching circumstances surrounding the case.
(Read more postpartum depression stories.)
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