South African born Lauren Dickason, convicted for the murder of her three daughters, will be sentenced in June.
The 42-year-old was found guilty by a New Zealand court in August 2023 for the murders of her daughters, six-year-old Lianè, and two-year-old twins, Maya and Karla.
The three girls were killed on September 16, 2021, just weeks after the family emigrated.
Dickason, a medical doctor by profession, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder by reason of insanity.
The prosecution said that Lauren acted out of anger the night she killed her children and that she snapped due to built-up frustration. But the defence argued that Lauren was mentally unwell and did not recover from post-partum depression after the birth of her children.
She was due to be sentenced in December and the matter was postponed to March.
However further delays has resulted in the date being set for June 26.
According to The Press Dickason is currently in custody at Christchurch’s Hillmorton Hospital.
They further reported that a psychiatrists reports as to whether Dickason should be detained under the Mental Health or serve her sentence in prison are the reason for the delays.
The Press reported that Dickason will be sentenced to a term of imprisonment, where she serves the sentence and for how was in question.
In October, Dickason penned a heartfelt letter to her supporters.
“Thank you to everybody for your love and support during this difficult time. I did this painting to commemorate the girls passing on September 16,” she said.
“These were also bears that were made with the children’s clothing and have their names embroided on the feet.”
IOL News