A New Zealand jury has issued a verdict finding Lauren Dickason, 42, guilty of murdering her three young daughters. This result comes after the jury rejected her defense, which argued that her serious mental illness at the time made her incapable of responsibility.
The tragic incident took place almost two years ago in the town of Timaru. Dickason had previously admitted to killing her 2-year-old twin daughters Maya and Karla and her 6-year-old sister Lianè in their newly built home. Although she pleaded not guilty to murder, attributing her actions to severe depression stemming from postpartum depression, the prosecution argued that her mental state did not provide grounds for a medical defense.
Prosecutors presented evidence including disturbing phone messages and online activity in the weeks leading up to the murders. These messages indicated her intent to harm her children, and her Internet history showed searches for information on child overdose methods. Prosecutors argued that anger and resentment motivated his actions.
Lauren Dickason and her husband Graham Dickason, both medical professionals, had recently moved from South Africa to New Zealand in search of a more stable life. Her husband, an orthopedic surgeon, discovered the tragic scene when he returned from a work dinner.
The guilty verdicts on three counts of murder followed a four-week trial. The jury, after three days of deliberation, reached an 11-1 majority decision for conviction, as permitted by New Zealand law. Lauren Dickason now faces the possibility of life in prison.
Dickason’s parents released a statement attributing the deaths to their daughter’s debilitating mental illness and urging global awareness of the symptoms of postpartum depression.
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