Lauren Dickason found guilty

[Lilith7]

She's been found guilty of murdering her three children.
In all honesty, if I'd been on that jury I really don't think I could have gone with the guilty verdict given her mental illness. She seems to have been very fragile & possibly moving here increased the stress.
Poor woman, poor family.




https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/4959...-daughters

It was agreed Dickason killed her daughters and attempted her own death that night - and was mentally unwell when it happened.

But the expert witnesses, who spent hours assessing Dickason, clashed over whether she was clouded with a depressive episode or postpartum depression.

Those supporting the defence case believed Dickason had never got over a decade-long fertility journey that involved a still-birth and postpartum depression. She had also become delusional at the time of killing her children, they said.
Hatters-Friedman told the court Dickason killed her children "out of love".

"Mothers who are suicidal are also at risk for infanticide. Such women may plan a so-called extended suicide with the altruistic belief that their infant is better off in heaven with their mother than remaining alive and motherless, in what the depressed mother sees as a cruel and uncaring world," she said.
"Killing her children seemed right... she noted the world was gripped by the Covid pandemic, that everyone was wrapped up in cellphones and she was concerned about the future and all the worries ahead of her," Dr Justin Barry-Walsh told the court.
"She considered her children would be better off dead."

[harm_less]

Going by the South African immigrants I met as customers while I was in the Tauranga area about 20 years ago they're often psychologically burdened from their past life in their home country. Living under a state of virtual siege takes its toll and not something you leave behind easily.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

It is one of those the law is an ass scenarios. Any mother doing what she did has to be insane. But the court process is conflict based and the prosecution came out on top. Sad.

Like the in laws said, no winners in this one.

I can't help wondering though why the father was missing in action. Obviously not the kind of relationship I understand a marriage to be.

[zqwerty]

Yet another miscarriage of justice, this is happening far too often, the whole justice system needs a reboot.

By definition any mother that kills her children is mentally ill.

[harm_less]

It is one of those the law is an ass scenarios. Any mother doing what she did has to be insane. But the court process is conflict based and the prosecution came out on top. Sad.

Like the in laws said, no winners in this one.

I can't help wondering though why the father was missing in action. Obviously not the kind of relationship I understand a marriage to be.

I imagine that a newly immigrated husband may be under pressure to work up to and beyond their new employer's expectations. Moving country, young family, new job, whatever situation they left in SA. Juggling too many balls, and judgement calls on priorities often don't measure up in hindsight.

[Olive]

It is one of those the law is an ass scenarios. Any mother doing what she did has to be insane. But the court process is conflict based and the prosecution came out on top. Sad.

Like the in laws said, no winners in this one.

I can't help wondering though why the father was missing in action. Obviously not the kind of relationship I understand a marriage to be.

I don't believe that any of us who were not present during all of the evidence have any right to criticise the jury's decision.    All we (ever) get is heavily edited video clips and opinion pieces from the media.   And as I understand it from the news media the father was out at a work meeting, his new job having started only a few days previously.

It's obviously a terrible tragedy, but I don't think any of us without forensic psychiatry credentials and direct exposure to the evidence have anything useful to say.

[Lilith7]

It is one of those the law is an ass scenarios. Any mother doing what she did has to be insane. But the court process is conflict based and the prosecution came out on top. Sad.

Like the in laws said, no winners in this one.

I can't help wondering though why the father was missing in action. Obviously not the kind of relationship I understand a marriage to be.

I wondered that as well. It could be that he's just unable to cope due to grief but nonetheless it gives an impression which could be taken to mean he doesn't care to support a wife who's clearly very ill.

There was one dissenting voice on the jury & so not a unanimous verdict.

[Wainuiguy]

Based on what was seen on TV which is a fraction of the actual testimony and evidence if I was wavering for a NG due to insanity the fact she made Google searches on how to kill her children and deleted the search history says massive premeditation.  That would have clinched it for me.

But I also heard the SA police found the cable ties at their former home done up like the way she ended up killing them?  Like she was trying out the best way to do it?

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Premeditation doesn't discount long term mental illness.

[Lilith7]

Premeditation doesn't discount long term mental illness.

As with the nurse in the UK who murdered several babies, normal people do not generally murder children; she was clearly insane.

If it was up to me she'd be taken back to South Africa & helped to peacefully end her life.

[Wainuiguy]

Premeditation doesn't discount long term mental illness.

As with the nurse in the UK who murdered several babies, normal people do not generally murder children; she was clearly insane.

If it was up to me she'd be taken back to South Africa & helped to peacefully end her life.

I am sure some of the lovely ladies at Arohata will help in that regard - can't say it will be particularly peaceful though.

[Lilith7]

As with the nurse in the UK who murdered several babies, normal people do not generally murder children; she was clearly insane.

If it was up to me she'd be taken back to South Africa & helped to peacefully end her life.

I am sure some of the lovely ladies at Arohata will help in that regard - can't say it will be particularly peaceful though.

From what I've read, they take a dim view of child killers, but I don't know whether or not they make allowance for mental illness.

[TinkandTiff]

As with the nurse in the UK who murdered several babies, normal people do not generally murder children; she was clearly insane.

If it was up to me she'd be taken back to South Africa & helped to peacefully end her life.

I am sure some of the lovely ladies at Arohata will help in that regard - can't say it will be particularly peaceful though.

Arohata is closed. Due to a lack of  Corrections staff. Heard it on the news this morning. The women were all moved to Christchurch some time ago, and now there is talk of it being unfair and racist as a lot of the inmates have been unable to see their children due to cost/ travel.

[Wainuiguy]

I am sure some of the lovely ladies at Arohata will help in that regard - can't say it will be particularly peaceful though.

Arohata is closed. Due to a lack of  Corrections staff. Heard it on the news this morning. The women were all moved to Christchurch some time ago, and now there is talk of it being unfair and racist as a lot of the inmates have been unable to see their children due to cost/ travel.

Regardless of location I am sure her welcome will be a warm one.

[Lilith7]

I am sure some of the lovely ladies at Arohata will help in that regard - can't say it will be particularly peaceful though.

Arohata is closed. Due to a lack of  Corrections staff. Heard it on the news this morning. The women were all moved to Christchurch some time ago, and now there is talk of it being unfair and racist as a lot of the inmates have been unable to see their children due to cost/ travel.

That's really unacceptable; the punishment is imprisonment, not being unable to see family,particularly children. I can understand why they've had to do so but some alternative which allows visits from family should be found as quickl.y as possible.