‘I loved them like my own’, says former nanny of SA children murdered in NZ

As the mother of three children appeared in a New Zealand court for their murder, the children’s former nanny in Pretoria, South Africa, was trying to make sense of the crime.

Dr Lauren Dickason was charged with the murder of her three children Liane, 6, and her twin sisters Maya and Karla, aged 2. She appeared in court in the town Timaru in New Zealand on Saturday morning, after being arrested for the murders on Friday.

Also Read: Woman arrested after three SA children found dead in New Zealand

The children’s former nanny, Mandy Sibanyoni, told the Pretoria Rekord she was was heartbroken, upon hearing the news of the children’s death. Sibanyoni had worked for the Dickason family between 2018 and 2020

“I met the twins four days after they were born and loved those children like my own,” she said on Friday.

“Lauren is such a wonderful and happy person. It is through her that I met the people I currently work for,” she said.

“The (kids’) dad is an awesome guy and he loved his girls. They were really a happy family.”

Sibanyoni had previously also told other media houses that the family had no apparent problems, and “loved their kids like nobody’s business.”

The Dickason family relocated to New Zealand just a few weeks ago.

According to the New Zealand Herald, Dickason had initially applied to have her name withheld during her court appearance, but withdrew her application after objections from the media.

Dickason appeared before Judge Dominic Dravitzki, who referred her to the Hillmorton Hospital in Christchurch for a mental psychiatric assessment, according to Stuff.

She is expected to appear in court again on 5 October, upon completion of her psychiatric assessment.