South African doctor Laura Dickason with her husband, Graham, and their three girls who were killed on 16 September 2021. Picture: Facebook
From dealing with ongoing depression from her teenage years, convicted murderer Lauren Dickason was “bound to snap at some point after losing her ability to cope from all of the changes in her life”, according to psychologists.
Dickason was convicted in the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand, of killing her twins Maya and Karla, aged two, and daughter Liané, six.
Her parents, Malcolm and Wendy Fawkes, thanked the people of New Zealand, South Africa and from around the world who had been “so understanding of the effects of postpartum depression and mental illness” following the ruling.
Although not commenting on Dickason’s case directly, clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of South Africa Christine Laidlaw said a person who has struggled with depression since adolescence would be prone to depression whenever they had stressors in their lives.
“So it’s important to be aware that in such cases this wouldn’t be an isolated incident,” she noted.
“In many instances like this, one’s mental health deteriorates from time to time when they have been treated for depression for a very long time, and coupled with stressors like moving to a different country, having children, it makes them vulnerable.”
The court heard forensic psychiatrist Dr Erik Monasterio interviewed Dickason’s husband, Graham Dickason, who noted that the 42-year-old was always vulnerable to stress, particularly after their inability to conceive and the births of the three children.
He told Monasterio that she was often anxious, leading the children to gravitate towards him.
Laidlaw said based on what the husband had said, it was evident that Lauren Dickason was overwhelmed, “and generally speaking once a person is overwhelmed in that state there’s a complexity level that goes down”.
“So that needs to be contextualised to say that all mothers are at risk of postpartum depression or postpartum depression with psychotic features is not necessarily true,” she added.
“However, what it does raise for us is how much support all women who have children need, particularly when there’s more than one child. Even when there’s one child there’s always a change.”
Counselling psychologist and founder of Conscious Psychology Sanam Naran, however, said it was hard to say whether or not this incident was inevitable because “human behaviour is extremely complex so it’s difficult to say and you can never say for sure”.
“Not having a support system (moving away from family) while being a new mother can definitely be seen as an aggravating circumstance, which would make it even more difficult to cope,” she added.
Reacting to the ruling, Dickason’s parents said: “Postpartum depression is a terrible thing, as has been shown by what happened to our family on 16 September, 2021.
“This was not our daughter, but a debilitating mental illness which resulted in an awful tragedy, the details of which you are by now well aware.
“Our beloved Liané, Karla and Maya were taken from this life to another as a result of this crippling disease.”
They also called on families around the world to watch for signs of postpartum depression as “if treated early and managed correctly, people can experience a full recovery”.
Naran said postnatal depression was more common than many people might think.
“If you’re experiencing emotional difficulties adjusting to being a mother that are impacting your functioning, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Access to help and treatment is available in South Africa,” she said.
Laidlaw said any couple, mother or father, should immediately seek mental health support as soon as possible, even if there was no problem yet.
“You need coping skills and there’s no degree or course at school that can prepare you for parenting.”
She recommended organisations such as the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, Helpline and a free support group, facilitated by clinical psychologist Lerato Diale by contacting admin@leratodiale.co.za or calling 071-352-3543 for parents who are feeling overwhelmed.
Additional reporting Cornelia le Roux, Kyle Zeeman, Stuff.co.za, New Zealand Herald.
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