Dickason murder trial: State prosecutor grills expert, arguing the children were killed out of anger

Andrew McRae, the man leading the state’s case against South African alleged killer mother of three Lauren Dickason, grilled the defence’s expert witness on insanity and infanticide, Susan Hatters-Friedman.

The 43-year-old is on trial in the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand, for strangling her three small daughters, six-year-old Liané and two-year-old twins Maya and Karla, with cable ties strung together before smothering them to death with a towel.

Dickason has not denied the triple murder but is seeking a verdict of not guilty because she had spiralled so deep into postpartum depression and felt she had no choice but to kill herself and her children.

The state is not buying her defence, arguing the children’s murders were methodical, purposeful and even clinical.

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McRae suggests partner revenge as a motive

McRae suggested that Dicakson’s motive for the murders could be attributed to partner revenge, which refers to killing a child to get revenge on the other parent.

Hatters-Friedman took the jury through the five most common reasons a parent may kill a child, partner revenge being one of them.

Dickason’s defence team argues the motive for the murders was altruistic when the parent kills a child “out of love”. It may be related to a parental suicide plan or beliefs about preventing or rescuing a child from a fate worse than death. 

However, McRae, while acknowledging Dickason’s depression, pointed to several aspects that may suggest premeditation and planning.

A previous state witness, who arrived on the scene shortly after the murders, testified to seeing the children’s father, Graham, at the driveway’s edge, crying and saying: “She did this to hurt me”.

Hatters-Friedman answered: “He was in shock. His kids were just murdered”.

ALSO READ: Dickason murder trial: Court hears how six-year-old fought back, ‘Why are you doing this to us mum?’

Dickason’s struggle with Karla

McRae also focused on the police’s interview with Dickason a day after the triple murder, in which the mother said she “started with Karla”.

“The first twin was being really, really, really horrible to me…that’s why I did her first…”

Hatters-Friedman, under gruelling cross-examination, admitted that Dickason never mentioned this in their sessions.

McRae then moved on to Dickason’s damning messages to friends and family in which she repeatedly complained about the children, the tough immigration process and New Zealand being “full of crap”.

Hatters-Friedman said the messages were not necessarily relevant, but it did indicate her depressive mindset.

ALSO READ: Dickason murder trial: New Zealand jury sees recording of Lauren’s confession

The state argued the messages were “highly relevant” because Dickason had sent 13 messages in 10 minutes, all of which painted a relatively negative picture of the country, the immigration process, Timaru and its rental properties.

McRae continued to poke holes in Hatters-Friedman’s assessment, pointing out that she had not assessed Dickason in person and was called in much later.

The state has lined up two other mental health experts whose testimonies are unlikely to support Dickason’s insanity and infanticide defence.

Proceedings have been adjourned and will resume on Monday.

*This report was compiled using information from New Zealand publications, Stuff.co.za and New Zealand Herald