Deranged New Zealand mom kills 3 young daughters at home
The father, Graham Dickason, found the bodies shortly before 10 pm on Thursday
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A deranged doctor allegedly murdered her three daughters in their New Zealand home — only weeks after the family moved there from South Africa, according to a disturbing new report.
Lauren Dickason, 40, an orthopedic doctor, killed her 2-year-old twins Maya and Karla, and their older sister Liane, 6, in Parkside, a suburb of Timaru, on Thursday, Stuff.co.nz reported.
Dickason was charged in the slaying late Friday local time and will appear in the Timaru District Court on Saturday morning, the outlet reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A police officer stands in the driveway of a house where three children were found dead in the South Island town of Timaru, New Zealand, Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. (George Heard/New Zealand Herald via AP)
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Lauren’s husband, Graham Dickason, an orthopedic surgeon, found the bodies when he returned home shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday.
He called for help as neighbors overheard him screaming and yelling, "Is this really happening?"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Emergency services quickly arrived, but the girls could not be saved, according to the report.
Their mother was taken to the nearby Timaru Hospital for treatment, where she was listed in stable condition Friday, the outlet reported.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The family arrived in New Zealand in late August and had only been in Timaru for a week after leaving managed isolation and quarantine, as required for travelers to the country amid the pandemic.
In a statement, local police Detective Inspector Scott Anderson assured the community that the slayings stemmed from "a tragic isolated incident and we are not seeking anyone else." No further information about the horrific slayings was given.
Both parents worked at South Africa’s Pretoria East Hospital before coming to New Zealand, according to their Facebook profiles. They also recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary, Stuff reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a statement, Lauren Dickason’s parents, Wendy and Malcolm Fawkes, from South Africa, told Stuff they were "devastated" over the tragedy.
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"The extended families are in a state of shock as we try to understand what happened. We ask for your prayers and support during this very difficult time," they said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We would also request privacy as we battle to come to terms with what has happened. We would like to thank the staff of Timaru Hospital for their support at this difficult time … and the New Zealand police for their attention to this matter."
Maria Mandy Sibanyoni, who worked as the children’s caregiver for three years in their Pretoria home, told the Sunday Times she was "shattered" over what happened.
"I never saw any fight in that family or anything," she said. "We treated each other as family. I was family too. There was nothing wrong."
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She said she had last spoken to Lauren in June as the family prepared for their move to New Zealand.
"The last time I saw her, everything was fine and she was happy she was going," Sibanyoni said. "We went through a lot with Lauren. I was always with her, telling her not to stress about the children, especially one [who underwent several surgeries for a problem with her lip], and to trust in the Lord. I was her shoulder to lean on."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This story first appeared in the New York Post.