GUILTY New Zealand - Dr. Lauren Dickason, 40, charged w/killing her 3 young daughters, Timaru, 16 Sep 2021

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Can someone explain to me her sentence, please? I understand the 18 years concurrently. What does it mean that she doesn't have to serve a minimum amount of time before parole? I guess what I'm really asking is in terms of actual years served what's that likely to mean? TIA

The article says this:

He did not set a minimum term of imprisonment, therefore Dickason is eligible for parole after a third of her sentence, six years, has been served.

I'm glad she has to be detained in a mental health facility for treatment, that seems the right decision.
 

In this case, I agree. Her words and actions were too spiteful for me say she was legally insane. Although her husband should have helped her more, she wasn't a victim unable to communicate or seek her own space or help. She decided to destroy all that was beautiful instead. She tortured the children one after the other and is playing the role of victim well. JMO/IMO.
 
In this case, I agree. Her words and actions were too spiteful for me say she was legally insane. Although her husband should have helped her more, she wasn't a victim unable to communicate or seek her own space or help. She decided to destroy all that was beautiful instead. She tortured the children one after the other and is playing the role of victim well. JMO/IMO.
Yeah, there was nothing benevolent or fearful motivating her actions, as is often seen in cases of PPD and PPP. She seemed driven by pure loathing and spite for her children and husband, which is a deeper issue than depression. She struck me more as a stereotypical injustice collector/family annihilator.

MOO
 
As the daughter of 2 South African doctors who emigrated to New Zealand, I completely don’t understand any sympathy for this woman.

She was not forced into motherhood, nor into murder. To me, this outcome is really frustrating as her “mental health issues” are being validated yet again by this sentence, which basically subverts the murder verdict and makes it sound like she was in fact found insane. What about the fact that the jury rejected that defence? Shouldn’t the judge reject it too?

In my opinion the depression etc was incidental. Being a mom was hard. She didn’t want to do it anymore. She literally looked over at the lunch boxes by the sink and noped out. Wish so badly she just unalived herself instead but you can hear from her initial confession that she believed her actions were justified. And not by fears about the world or whatever, but because the kids were misbehaving.
 
As the daughter of 2 South African doctors who emigrated to New Zealand, I completely don’t understand any sympathy for this woman.

She was not forced into motherhood, nor into murder. To me, this outcome is really frustrating as her “mental health issues” are being validated yet again by this sentence, which basically subverts the murder verdict and makes it sound like she was in fact found insane. What about the fact that the jury rejected that defence? Shouldn’t the judge reject it too?

In my opinion the depression etc was incidental. Being a mom was hard. She didn’t want to do it anymore. She literally looked over at the lunch boxes by the sink and noped out. Wish so badly she just unalived herself instead but you can hear from her initial confession that she believed her actions were justified. And not by fears about the world or whatever, but because the kids were misbehaving.
You make good points

I fear you may be right

Did your parents have to give up either of their careers at first?
 

A “note from Lauren” was posted on a Facebook page the day after sentencing. […]

“Justice Mander heard me. His decision is fair and just. Thank you all for your love and support over the last year. Thank you for believing my version of events – that I am not an angry, jealous and selfish person; but rather a mother suffering from a severe mental illness while trying to raise my three beautiful little girls and supporting my husband in all his endevours [sic]. I believe you can have it all, but just not all at once. Be kind to yourselves and talk until someone hears you. Do not be ashamed to admit if you can’t cope. There is a way out which doesn’t have to end in tragedy.”
 
"Dickason was diagnosed with a major depressive disorder when she was a teenager.
Her father claimed to have no knowledge of that."

“'We did not know of the turmoil, continually churning inside a lonely Lauren while she put on a brave face ... We did not know she had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and ... we also did not know about the infertility which required donor eggs.'"

Sounds like Lauren's father didn't know she had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder when she was a teenager. Lauren's mother must have known, but possibly did not share that with Lauren's father?

Then -- as to the problems with Lauren's infertility -- the father also said that they (Lauren's parents?) were unaware of that fact.
 
She is still alive while ALL of her children are dead. At her hands. She should've taken her own life before she ever touched one of those babies, in my disgusted opinion. There will never ever be any sort of justification her acts even she was howling at the moon and running naked through the woods. Plenty of people go through the same or similar diagnoses and don't murder their children.
 
Her parents say they didn't know she was diagnosed with major depressive disorder as a teenager, so where did she allegedly go to be diagnosed secretly as a teen? Did she receive treatment? She hid all struggles, even the fertility treatments, from both parents until the day of the murders? It's extremely "off" and very sad, if true. All IMO.
 
Her parents say they didn't know she was diagnosed with major depressive disorder as a teenager, so where did she allegedly go to be diagnosed secretly as a teen? Did she receive treatment? She hid all struggles, even the fertility treatments, from both parents until the day of the murders? It's extremely "off" and very sad, if true. All IMO.
Her father said that he wasn't aware of her diagnosis as a teen. However, it is likely that her mother knew about it, but chose not to discuss that with her husband. (I'm just speculating.) As to the infertility, she did not reveal that to either of her parents, according to her father.
 
Her father said that he wasn't aware of her diagnosis as a teen. However, it is likely that her mother knew about it, but chose not to discuss that with her husband. (I'm just speculating.) As to the infertility, she did not reveal that to either of her parents, according to her father.

The article quotes him (ETA: her father) as saying, "We did not know she had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder."

I have to disagree with the quote from an anonymous relative that she is the biggest victim here. Absolutely the children and her husband are the victims.

 
Also, this:
“We are disappointed that Lauren does not appear to have been correctly diagnosed, treated and managed in South Africa for her mental health problems.”

I don't think the above statement is accurate. As I recall, early on in this case we read that she was being treated in South Africa for depression, and was taking medication. Before the move to New Zealand, she discontinued the medication so that she would not have to report that she was on medication, which could have been a deterrent for allowing emigration.

'A win': Supporters post 'message from Dickason' about triple murder sentence



 
Also, this:
“We are disappointed that Lauren does not appear to have been correctly diagnosed, treated and managed in South Africa for her mental health problems.”

I don't think the above statement is accurate. As I recall, early on in this case we read that she was being treated in South Africa for depression, and was taking medication. Before the move to New Zealand, she discontinued the medication so that she would not have to report that she was on medication, which could have been a deterrent for allowing emigration.

'A win': Supporters post 'message from Dickason' about triple murder sentence
Yes. It was a deliberate choice.

MOO
 

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