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

[Countem]

Support for Lauren Dickason grows - protest planned ahead of sentencing

She admitted smothering Liané, 6, and 2-year-old twins Maya and Karla.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Countem]

'Restrictions' placed on Lauren Dickason after publicity about letter to supporters

It can now also be revealed that in a previous letter Dickason told her supporters: “I don’t think I can ever forgive myself for what happened.”

www.stuff.co.nz

Lauren Dickason is no longer able to send or receive letters in custody as she awaits sentencing for the murder of her three children, her supporters say.

Lauren Dickason sleeps with teddy bears made of daughters' clothing, writes to supporters

Lauren Dickason, who was found guilty of killing her three young daughters, has written to supporters.

www.stuff.co.nz

Lauren Dickason sleeps with teddy bears made out of her daughters’ clothing and has been communicating with supporters.

 

[Countem]

Dickason trial has cost taxpayers $700k so far

The South African doctor found guilty of murdering her three young daughters just 19 days after arriving in NZ has been granted more than $700,000...

www.odt.co.nz

 

[Countem]

https://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/lauren-dickason-case-shines-light-on-treatment-of-mental-health-in-criminal-justice-system-expert-says-e0485459-360d-41e9-9763-fe2d2b29b367

BBM

[Dickason] is currently held at Hillmorton Mental Health Hospital and will be sentenced in February, according to the New Zealand Herald.

 

[investikater]

I'm surprised the jury didn't believe she was crazy. Do we know why?

 

[investikater]

I'm surprised the jury didn't believe she was crazy. Do we know why?

 

[iamshadow21]

I'm surprised the jury didn't believe she was crazy. Do we know why?

I can't speak to the jury, but some of her statements really suggested a strong resentment for her children, especially one of the twins. It's hard to spin it as a 'benevolent' killing in the throes of psychosis when she's saying she decided to kill one of her children first because of her being 'really horrible' lately. There's spite in that.

MOO

 

[dotr]

I'm surprised the jury didn't believe she was crazy. Do we know why?

Things like.. imo, speculation. rbbm

Disturbing details of how Lauren Dickason allegedly killed her 3 children emerge in New Zealand court | News24

According to reports, prosecutor Andrew McRae said during the first day of court proceedings that the children were asphyxiated by way of cable ties applied around the neck. When this method failed, Lauren smothered them with their blankets. She then attempted to take her own life.

www.news24.com

''The court heard that, long before the murders, Dickason searched the internet for ways to kill children.''

''During his opening arguments, McRae reportedly said Lauren "harboured anger and resentment" towards her children at times.''

''He said that phone messages, which would be used as evidence, showed that Lauren had, at times, threatened to "smack", "suffocate" and "murder" her children.''

''On the night of the murders, Lauren reportedly waited for her husband to leave before fetching cable ties from the garage and telling the girls they were "going to make necklaces"

 

[Charlot123]

Something interesting to read:

Postpartum Depression: Unipolar or Bipolar? - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

About 15% of women will experience postpartum depression after the birth of a child. While most of those women will have unipolar depression, a certain number of women will have bipolar depression. At this juncture, making the correct diagnosis is vital, as the treatment of bipolar depression...

womensmentalhealth.org

I am not sure Lauren’s postpartum episode was just depression. It is MOO.

However - either way, one wonders if one out of sox adults lives with mental illness, (that was 10 years ago, I think the data is worse now), are the immigration rules reasonable, or merely serve to stigmatize? Most important, are they going to backfire, because lack of access to care would merely cause more tragic endings?

Mental Illness

An overview of statistics for mental illnesses. Mental illnesses are common in the United States. One in six U.S. adults lives with a mental illness (43.4 million in 2015). Mental illnesses include many different conditions that vary in degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe.

www.nimh.nih.gov

(The data is for the US, but I don’t expect it to be statistically better for any other part of the world.)

 

[Charlot123]

I'm surprised the jury didn't believe she was crazy. Do we know why?

I think they did. But it is a dead-end street, this case. Somehow, Lauren was able to function back home (not too well, IMO, but managing). Then she stopped medications in the hope of emigrating to NZ. In two weeks, she killed her three daughters. Either the blame is with her, because she “should have known better”, or we come to a long discussion of “but what could she have done, given the immigration laws?” In a way, I believe that NZ prison is the better option for LD. She can’t return to South Africa where everyone knows her story.

 

[LadyL]

Things like.. imo, speculation. rbbm

Disturbing details of how Lauren Dickason allegedly killed her 3 children emerge in New Zealand court | News24

According to reports, prosecutor Andrew McRae said during the first day of court proceedings that the children were asphyxiated by way of cable ties applied around the neck. When this method failed, Lauren smothered them with their blankets. She then attempted to take her own life.

www.news24.com

''The court heard that, long before the murders, Dickason searched the internet for ways to kill children.''

''During his opening arguments, McRae reportedly said Lauren "harboured anger and resentment" towards her children at times.''

''He said that phone messages, which would be used as evidence, showed that Lauren had, at times, threatened to "smack", "suffocate" and "murder" her children.''

''On the night of the murders, Lauren reportedly waited for her husband to leave before fetching cable ties from the garage and telling the girls they were "going to make necklaces"

how can a 2 year-old be 'particularly mean' unless someone (like their mother) has modeled that behaviour for them
good riddance to her - hope she never gets out

 

[iamshadow21]

how can a 2 year-old be 'particularly mean' unless someone (like their mother) has modeled that behaviour for them
good riddance to her - hope she never gets out

Her idea of the kids being totally out of control was jumping on the sofa. Which is completely normal kid behaviour. I don't think she wanted children, she wanted automatons.

MOO

 

[LadyL]

Her idea of the kids being totally out of control was jumping on the sofa. Which is completely normal kid behaviour. I don't think she wanted children, she wanted automatons.

MOO

ITA
what kid doesn't jump on their beds or on the sofa?
poor babes

 

[investikater]

Thanks everyone for answering my question, I've been out of the loop for a while

 

[investikater]

I think they did. But it is a dead-end street, this case. Somehow, Lauren was able to function back home (not too well, IMO, but managing). Then she stopped medications in the hope of emigrating to NZ. In two weeks, she killed her three daughters. Either the blame is with her, because she “should have known better”, or we come to a long discussion of “but what could she have done, given the immigration laws?” In a way, I believe that NZ prison is the better option for LD. She can’t return to South Africa where everyone knows her story.

Well to me it seems like she should be kept in a psychiatric institution for decades or possibly the rest of her life?

That's what would normally happen in Australia and the US I think? I can think of a number of mother murderers currently being held indefinitely

 

[Charlot123]

Well to me it seems like she should be kept in a psychiatric institution for decades or possibly the rest of her life?

That's what would normally happen in Australia and the US I think? I can think of a number of mother murderers currently being held indefinitely

I hope she gets all medications in prison. I wonder if hospital would mean, extradition to SA as Lauren was not the citizen of NZ. I am not a lawyer and don’t know how the rules work in these cases.

 

[Charlot123]

Her idea of the kids being totally out of control was jumping on the sofa. Which is completely normal kid behaviour. I don't think she wanted children, she wanted automatons.

MOO

I almost forgot about the case, but wonder what else we don’t know about her health? Is it possible that 17 IVF cycles could cause sensory processing issues? What kind of a condition did Lauren have that led to the termination of her pregnancy with Sarah? Something very serious. I only remember from old times that Clomid can cause seizures and Lupron, mood swings, what are the side effects of never medications, I don’t know.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/lauren-dickason-trial-husband-describes-harrowing-fertility-journey-as-defence-probe-accuseds-mental-health-history/NRRZW6A2F5DCDBKCLID74NAZJQ/#:~:text=Lauren%20Dickason's%20journey%20to%20become,eggs%20to%20have%20their%20children.

 

[investikater]

Lauren Dickason trial: Harrowing fertility journey outlined by husband

Lauren Anne Dickason has admitted killing 6yo Liané and 2yo twins Maya and Karla.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[investikater]

I can't speak to the jury, but some of her statements really suggested a strong resentment for her children, especially one of the twins. It's hard to spin it as a 'benevolent' killing in the throes of psychosis when she's saying she decided to kill one of her children first because of her being 'really horrible' lately. There's spite in that.

MOO

Things like.. imo, speculation. rbbm

Disturbing details of how Lauren Dickason allegedly killed her 3 children emerge in New Zealand court | News24

According to reports, prosecutor Andrew McRae said during the first day of court proceedings that the children were asphyxiated by way of cable ties applied around the neck. When this method failed, Lauren smothered them with their blankets. She then attempted to take her own life.

www.news24.com

''The court heard that, long before the murders, Dickason searched the internet for ways to kill children.''

''During his opening arguments, McRae reportedly said Lauren "harboured anger and resentment" towards her children at times.''

''He said that phone messages, which would be used as evidence, showed that Lauren had, at times, threatened to "smack", "suffocate" and "murder" her children.''

''On the night of the murders, Lauren reportedly waited for her husband to leave before fetching cable ties from the garage and telling the girls they were "going to make necklaces"

My problem is those can be things people just say to be expressive or let off steam

I remember my own mother saying once or twice she could of killed me for something I did but she never meant it literally.
My uncles mother said if he survived his car accident from speeding she was gonna kill him. He did and yet she made no attempts on his life!

The husband seems to be saying that's what it was:

Lauren Dickason trial: Harrowing fertility journey outlined by husband

Lauren Anne Dickason has admitted killing 6yo Liané and 2yo twins Maya and Karla.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[iamshadow21]

My problem is those can be things people just say to be expressive or let off steam

I remember my own mother saying once or twice she could of killed me for something I did but she never meant it literally.
My uncles mother said if he survived his car accident from speeding she was gonna kill him. He did and yet she made no attempts on his life!

The husband seems to be saying that's what it was:

Lauren Dickason trial: Harrowing fertility journey outlined by husband

Lauren Anne Dickason has admitted killing 6yo Liané and 2yo twins Maya and Karla.

www.nzherald.co.nz

The problem is, she made that statement I quoted within hours of having actually murdered her children, to police. It wasn't a lighthearted letting off of steam at a time when the kids were fine, it was while she was walking them through how she did the crime.

MOO