GUILTY New Zealand - Dr. Lauren Dickason, 40, charged w/killing her 3 young daughters, Timaru, 16 Sep 2021

[silvercrown]

Yeah I can agree with head in the sand, I guess we just have different thoughts as to why he acted that way.
It might be futile to speculate further, but what do you make of the fact that the girls preferred him to Lauren?
As a mother and primary caregiver (I didn’t work during my kids’ earliest years and now that they’re in school I work part time) it feels so obvious that the kids prefer me because they spend more time with me. They are also close with their dad but if they wake up at night, hurt themselves, want a snack etc it’s me they come to. And that doesn’t make me special, for any of my mom friends it’s the same unless they have a family set up where the dad stays home.
So I just find it very telling that they preferred Graham- especially when waking up at night which is such a mom thing.

I’d take a guess that they preferred him because she was volatile, short tempered and reacted with anger when they didn’t behave as she would like. They probably found that really scary. It’s hard to imagine what else it could be, kids mums are usually their favourite person (emphasis on the word usually).

ETA all imo and all assumptions

 

[kiwi50]

I had hoped the jury would have made up their mind by now, please dont let it be a hung jury

 

[Sararara]

I had hoped the jury would have made up their mind by now, please dont let it be a hung jury

Same! So stressful… I don’t know how it’s so hard, unless there’s just one person refusing to go along

 

[MinnyPin]

I just caught up on this entire thread and Lauren reminds me of Julie Schenecker - even looks like her in the weirdest way. All the previous threats/texts to husband about what she’d do to her kids, all the anger, all the self-righteousness. Truly evil and psychotic. I hope she dies in prison. Those beautiful girls.

Julie Schenecker, 54, Says She Doesn't Regret Killing Kids

"I saved them," the Florida woman insists from behind bars

people.com

 

[Sararara]

Okay guys here we go….
Verdict incoming as the judge has said he will accept a majority vote in lieu of unanimous agreement.
They have now reached a verdict and court will reconvene shortly.

 

[kiwi50]

Guilty!!

 

[Sararara]

Guilty!!

So relieved!!

 

[Marysmith]

Thank you everyone for posting! I’m so relieved as well. These crimes are so disturbing.

 

[dotr]

Lauren Dickason trial: Jury finds mother guilty of murdering her three daughters

Lauren Dickason murdered her three young daughters, a High Court jury has found

www.rnz.co.nz

'Lauren Dickason murdered her three young daughters, a High Court jury has found.

Dickason was charged with murder after admitting to killing her children - two-year-old twins Karla and Maya and six-year-old Liané - at their Timaru home on 16 September, 2021.'

''It took the jury of eight women and four men just over 14 hours to reach the majority verdicts (11-1) in Christchurch, following a four week trial.

They did not find her insane at the time of the killings''

 

[silvercrown]

Quick, which is a relief for everyone including the jury who I am sure have seen and heard some things they’ll never forget.
I’m still very sympathetic to her mental health situation, and believes she needs major help, and was in a marriage with a crappy support system, however imo the jury got it right with their guilty verdict.

Otherwise the threshold for infanticide would be too low for my liking and who knows what future cases would draw similarities to this one and be bound (influenced? In criminal cases maybe this is a more suitable term) by precedent.

Is sentencing likely to come soon? Straight away or in a couple of weeks does anybody know? I assume Lauren would be on suicide watch?

Rip now, angels.

 

[tazza]

Quick, which is a relief for everyone including the jury who I am sure have seen and heard some things they’ll never forget.
I’m still very sympathetic to her mental health situation, and believes she needs major help, and was in a marriage with a crappy support system, however imo the jury got it right with their guilty verdict.

Otherwise the threshold for infanticide would be too low for my liking and who knows what future cases would draw similarities to this one and be bound (influenced? In criminal cases maybe this is a more suitable term) by precedent.

Is sentencing likely to come soon? Straight away or in a couple of weeks does anybody know? I assume Lauren would be on suicide watch?

Rip now, angels.

100% agree. RIP Lianè, Karla and Maya.

As for the sentencing, I'm not sure when it'll happen, but she'll be in Hillmorton Hospital (the same place she has been since her arrest) until then. Surely she'll be on suicide watch. I hope they watch her very closely, since her level of risk must be higher than ever now.

 

[kiwi50]

A good summary.

Big Read: How Dickason family's new life in NZ descended into tragedy and heartbreak

Herald senior crime journalist Sam Sherwood reports on a tragedy in small town NZ.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[iamshadow21]

View attachment 441157

Lauren Dickason trial: Jury finds mother guilty of murdering her three daughters

Lauren Dickason murdered her three young daughters, a High Court jury has found

www.rnz.co.nz

'Lauren Dickason murdered her three young daughters, a High Court jury has found.

Dickason was charged with murder after admitting to killing her children - two-year-old twins Karla and Maya and six-year-old Liané - at their Timaru home on 16 September, 2021.'

''It took the jury of eight women and four men just over 14 hours to reach the majority verdicts (11-1) in Christchurch, following a four week trial.

They did not find her insane at the time of the killings''

Sleep well, Lianè.

Sleep well, Karla.

Sleep well, Maya.

I'm so sorry that you didn't get the time you deserved in this world, or the mother you should have had to guide you through it.

MOO

 

[silvercrown]

100% agree. RIP Lianè, Karla and Maya.

As for the sentencing, I'm not sure when it'll happen, but she'll be in Hillmorton Hospital (the same place she has been since her arrest) until then. Surely she'll be on suicide watch. I hope they watch her very closely, since her level of risk must be higher than ever now.

Out of interest I googled Hillmorton Hospital. The results, including news articles aren’t very inspiring :|

 

[dotr]

New Zealand jury finds mom guilty of murdering her 3 young daughters

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A New Zealand jury on Wednesday found a mother guilty of murdering her three young daughters after rejecting her defense that she was so mentally ill at the time she couldn’t be held responsible.

www.thestar.com

''The guilty verdicts on three counts of murder came after a four-week trial. Jurors deliberated over three days and voted 11-1 for conviction, a split allowed under New Zealand laws. Dickason faces a sentence of life imprisonment.''

''Radio New Zealand reported that Dickason was motionless in the dock as the verdict was read out in the Christchurch High Court, and then cried quietly as she left. Jurors could also be heard crying, RNZ reported.
Dickason’s parents issued a statement saying the deaths were the result of their daughter’s debilitating mental illness.''

“We would like to encourage families and individuals around the world to be aware of the symptoms of post-partum depression as early as possible, both for yourselves as well as close family and friends around you,“ parents Malcolm and Wendy Fawkes said in the statement, RNZ reported.
Detective Inspector Scott Anderson said police wanted to express their deepest sympathies to family members who would never get to see Liané, Maya and Karla grow up and live out their lives.''

Lauren Dickason trial: Jury finds mother guilty of murdering her three daughters

Lauren Dickason murdered her three young daughters, a High Court jury has found

www.rnz.co.nz

Treurspel in NS: Familie nog te geskok om te praat | Netwerk24

Graham en Lauren Dickason het 'n week gelede saam met hul drie dogtertjies uit die verpligte twee weke isolasietydperk gekom nadat hulle in Augustus uit Pretoria geëmigreer het.

www.netwerk24.com

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I’m still very sympathetic to her mental health situation, and believes she needs major help, and was in a marriage with a crappy support system, however imo the jury got it right with their guilty verdict.

Otherwise the threshold for infanticide would be too low for my liking and who knows what future cases would draw similarities to this one and be bound (influenced? In criminal cases maybe this is a more suitable term) by precedent.

Agree with what you're saying here.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Post-partum depression and anxiety do need to be talked about much more. I believe that many many moms have one or both, often without truly realizing it. I also believe it can last several years.

 

[Charlot123]

Quick, which is a relief for everyone including the jury who I am sure have seen and heard some things they’ll never forget.
I’m still very sympathetic to her mental health situation, and believes she needs major help, and was in a marriage with a crappy support system, however imo the jury got it right with their guilty verdict.

Otherwise the threshold for infanticide would be too low for my liking and who knows what future cases would draw similarities to this one and be bound (influenced? In criminal cases maybe this is a more suitable term) by precedent.

Is sentencing likely to come soon? Straight away or in a couple of weeks does anybody know? I assume Lauren would be on suicide watch?

Rip now, angels.

I feel that her life is ended anyhow. I also feel that Lauren has a severe, debilitating mental health situation, complicated further by PTSD. I agree with you, @silvercrown , though, about the threshold for infanticide.

However, I do believe that Lauren fully intended to take her own life that day.

If there is any takehome message from this case, it is about the severity of maternal mental illness. If this case raises the awareness of PPD, it is probably good enough.

RIP, Liane, Karla and Maya. I wish Lauren to find inner peace, as much as it is possible. I wish Graham no mourn his losses, and move on with his life.

‘Thinking of Ways to Harm Her’ (Published 2014)

Studies are revealing a more complex view of maternal mental illness, including that what is known as postpartum depression often begins during pregnancy.

www.nytimes.com

A new law just came into the effect re reasonable accommodations for pregnant and postpartum women

A New Law Aims to Stop Pregnancy Discrimination at Work

Here’s what the legislation entails.

www.nytimes.com

 

[StillDiggin]

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[alexwood]

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Sentencing date is Tuesday, December 19, 2023.