Lauren Dickason, the South African doctor who has been charged with murdering her three young daughters in New Zealand has gone on trial.
The case has sent shock waves through New Zealand and South Africa, as the details of the tragic incident unfold, sparking a conversation about mental health and motherhood.
The murders occurred shortly after the family immigrated from South Africa in August 2021 after Dickason’s husband Graham, an orthopaedic surgeon, got a job at Timaru Hospital.
Despite her admission, Dickason has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and infanticide.
Tuesday was day two of the trial which has been set down for three weeks. Here are 10 things to have emerged from the court proceedings so far, as has been reported by the New Zealand Herald.
1. Lauren Dickason's Mental State: Lauren Dickason was described as "not in a good place" in the months leading up to the tragic event. She was dealing with various stresses and was described as not being a nurturing mother.
2. Discovery of Cable Ties: Graham Dickason, Lauren's husband, found three sets of cable ties strung together in a wardrobe when he returned to South Africa after the alleged murders.
3. Plea of Not Guilty: Despite admitting to killing her three children, Lauren Dickason has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and infanticide.
4. Stressful Circumstances: The family was dealing with the stress of selling their home in Pretoria, moving to Timaru, and facing lockdown with three little girls. Lauren also had a foot operation and was scared due to political unrest and severe riots in South Africa.
5. Lauren's Struggles: Lauren was described as being "distant" and struggling with motherhood. She often verbalised that she didn't think she was a good mother.
6. Previous Mental Health Issues: Lauren sought professional help for her mental health when her oldest daughter was very young. She had also been through a lot in her life, including problems at school and traumatic memories from a young age.
7. Antidepressant Usage: Lauren was taking an antidepressant each day. She had stopped for a while, but began taking it again when she couldn't cope.
8. Thoughts of Harming the Children: Lauren had spoken to her husband on three occasions about harming the children. The first incident was in May 2019, the second in July 2021, and the third when the family was staying with Graham's mother before they moved to New Zealand.
9. The Move to New Zealand: The family moved to New Zealand for a better life for their children. Despite the stress and nerves about the move, there was no reluctance to emigrate from Lauren.
10. The Trial: The trial is ongoing. The Crown Prosecutor argues that Lauren knew what she was doing was morally wrong and acted methodically and purposefully. The defence argues that Lauren was in a major depressive episode when she killed her children.
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