A dad was left inconsolable when he came home to find his three little girls dead and was heard screaming “is this really happening?”
Graham Dickason had just moved into the property with his three children and wife Lauren, 40, who has been arrested and charged with the murder of their twin girls and older daughter.
The triple-tragedy has rocked the city of Timaru, New Zealand, with neighbours telling Stuff news website they heard haunting wails and a woman sobbing at the house before a man returned home.
Police say Lauren killed Maya and Karla, her twin daughters, and Liane, their older sister, at their new house.
(Image: Facebook)
Doctor Lauren and surgeon husband Graham had moved into the property recently with their three children from South Africa just a week before.
According to reports, he discovered the bodies of his three daughters when he returned home from work at 10 p.m. that night.
Residents nearby reported hearing a loud bang, followed by the sounds of moaning and sobbing from the property about 20 minutes before.
(Image: Facebook)
Jade Whaley said: “The first noise we heard was somebody sobbing, and then we heard a loud thud like someone just slammed a door.
“We could see someone through our fence wandering behind the house and wailing.”
Karen Cowper, another neighbour, said she heard a man shout out: “What is the truth?” just after 10pm.
The children’s mother was reportedly seen being taken away in an ambulance.
Authorities said she was treated in hospital then charged with her three childrens’ murder the following day.
Mrs Dickason’s parents, Wendy and Malcolm Fawkes told the news site they were “devastated” to learn of their grandchildren’s deaths.
Their family was shocked and they asked for prayers to help them understand and deal with the events.
At a press conference, police told journalists that no other suspects were being sought in relation to the deaths.
According to her social media profiles Mrs Dickason worked previously as a Pretoria GP.
Recently, she uploaded photos in which she was smiling and kissing twin girls as well as embracing her husband.
On Saturday, Mrs Dickason will appear before Timaru District Court.
New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said the deaths were “absolutely tragic.”
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