The South African mother, Dr Lauren Dickason, who was charged with the murder of her three daughters, has been convicted. A panel of 12 jurors, consisting of eight women and four men, reached a majority decision on Wednesday, as reported by New Zealand’s Stuff.
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Dickason remained impassive in the courtroom as the verdict of her guilt for the murder of her three young daughters was delivered. Meanwhile, her legal representatives, Kerryn Beaton and Anne Toohey, were visibly emotional upon the jury’s decision.
In response to the verdict, Lauren’s parents, Wendy and Malcolm Fawkes, issued a statement, stating that postpartum depression is a devastating affliction. They said, ‘This was not our daughter, but a debilitating mental illness.’
Dickason confessed to the killings of her daughters, Lianè (6) and the two-year-old twins Maya and Karla, which occurred on 16 September 2021 but she entered a plea of not guilty to murder charges, citing insanity as the reason.
The trial spanned four weeks, and once Dickason was declared guilty, Justice Cameron Mander instructed the jury to leave; some members were observed in tears.
Following her conviction, it was noted that Dickason would remain in a medical facility until Justice Mander delivered the sentence. The prosecution contended that her actions were driven by anger on the night of the incident and were a result of accumulated frustration.
On the contrary, the defence asserted that Lauren was grappling with mental instability, having not fully recovered from post-partum depression following the birth of her children.
Written by Adrienne Bredeveldt for Cape Town ETC.
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