Mother charged with murder stays in unit

A woman accused of murdering her three young daughters in Timaru was once again absent from a High Court proceeding yesterday, on advice from a medical expert.

The case against Lauren Anne Dickason, 40, was called in the High Court at Christchurch before Justice Cameron Mander, but Dickason’s appearance was excused. Her defence counsel, Kerryn Beaton, QC, appeared on her behalf.

Justice Mander said Dickason was still in custody in a medium secure psychiatric unit at Hillmorton Hospital in Christchurch, and advice from her managing clinician said it could be detrimental to ‘‘expose her to the court setting’’ at this stage.

Dickason has been excused from all her court hearings since her first appearance.

Dickason, a medical practitioner, her husband Graham, and their three girls – twin daughters Maya and Karla, 2, and their older sister Liane´, 6 – arrived in New Zealand from South Africa last August.

Police allege she killed the three children on the night of September 16, about a week after the family moved into a property in Queen St, Timaru.

Graham, an orthopaedic surgeon, found them dead when he arrived home about 10pm after dining with colleagues at a restaurant.

Dickason required hospital treatment in the aftermath of the incident. She appeared in the Timaru District Court the next day charged with the murder of her three daughters.

Suppression orders on the details of the allegations continue.

Dickason is scheduled to go on trial next March.

Justice Mander remanded her in custody at Hillmorton until July 22.