A PAIR of doctors planned for their “dream” move to New Zealand for two years before their mum “murdered” their three girls.
Lauren Dickason, 40 years old, was silent during her trial for the murders of her twins Karla (two-year-old) and Maya (six-year-old).
The medical practitioner appeared before Judge Dominic Dravitzki in the Timaru District Court and was remanded without plea to a secure facility at Hillmorton Hospital in Christchurch.
Dickason and Graham Dickason arrived in New Zealand with their three daughters last month. They had only been in Timaru for a week.
Friends say the couple had been planning their dream relocation to New Zealand for two years, according to stuff.co.nz.
All of this collapsed within days.
The family had emigrated to New Zealand from Pretoria, South Africa. They settled into Timaru, New Zealand’s South Island.
The smiling girls are seen holding toy kiwis as they land in New Zealand.
Graham, an orthopaedic doctor, returned home on Thursday at 10 o’clock to find his children dead.
One neighbour, Chantel Pretorius, said their children had gone to kindergarten together and added: “That news is terrible, we don’t know what to make of it.”
“Their emigration took very long, they wanted to emigrate before Covid, and then Covid held everything back.
“Her last message was about how panicked she was after the power cut at their house in South Africa during the looting.
“So they were really ready to get over to New Zealand, it’s what they worked for and planned for, it was their dream for two years.”
The children’s grandparents in South Africa said the whole extended family was “in a state of shock” since hearing the devastating news.
“The extended families are still reeling as they try and understand the events.
“We ask for your prayers and support during this very difficult time. We would also request privacy as we battle to come to terms with what has happened,” They spoke out.
Natasja Le Roux, a former friend and neighbor, told the Sunday Times South Africa that she couldn’t understand what had happened. She was a doctor and wasn’t arrogant. She was very humble.
“She was really just a nice person, she and her husband.”
The former neighbor said that Dickason and Graham struggled to conceive their children, but were loving and dedicated parents.
“They waited years for those children because she had troubles with fertility and stuff, so it really is a big shock,” le Roux added.
Mendy Sibanyoni, an South African family friend, stated that there was nothing about the couple’s past that suggests they were troubled.
She said both parents “loved their kids like nobody’s business”.
“Those children, that family, are like my own. I was in their house…I went on holiday with them. [The parents] never argued. They were two darlings. What could have gone wrong?” She stated.
Other former neighbours, who did not want to be identified, said the couple were very “grateful” for their kids.
“They absolutely adored those children. They were so grateful for having them because they struggled to get pregnant and when they finally got the children, they loved them,” According to the neighbor.
FAMILY HORROR
“Something just doesn’t add up. It may be stress from New Zealand, moving there and being quarantined for so many days.
“So I think whatever happened is not normal, it wasn’t normal circumstances.”
Dickason and her family had moved to New Zealand from South Africa days earlier to start a new life but on Thursday neighbours reportedly heard “haunting wails” and a woman sobbing at their house.
Following the ordeal, neighbours said they heard a bang and then the sounds of sobbing and moaning at about 9.40pm.
Jade Whaley described the incident as “someone sobbing.” Then they heard a loud bang and then a loud thud, like someone was closing a door.
“We could see someone through our fence wandering behind the house and wailing.”
Another neighbour Karen Cowper described hearing a man crying out “Is this really happening?” just after 10pm.
After paramedics failed to save the girls, police sealed the house. It is leased from the local hospital.
On Friday, white-clad forensics officers inspected the house in search of evidence.
“Police would like to reassure the community that this was a tragic isolated incident and we are not seeking anyone else,” said Det Insp Scott Anderson.
“The investigation into this tragedy is still in its very early stages, but we can confirm that nobody else is being sought in relation to the deaths of the three children.”
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