The trial of South African doctor Lauren Dickason, who is accused of murdering her three children in New Zealand, has been rescheduled to begin on 13th July, according to reports. Originally set for 17th July at the High Court in Christchurch, the case has been brought forward by Judge Jonathan Eaton.
During the trial, opening statements from the defense and the public prosecutor will be heard, followed by the assembly of a jury. In September 2021, Dickason was charged with the murder of her twin girls, Maya and Karla, aged 2, and their older sister Liane, aged 6.
The tragic incident occurred shortly after the family had relocated from Pretoria to Timaru, with Dr. Graham Dickason securing a job as an orthopedic surgeon. Graham discovered the bodies of his daughters when he returned home from work on 16th September 2021.
During a candlelight vigil held outside the family home, Graham expressed his forgiveness for his wife, as a letter he had written was read to the attendees. In recent court appearances, Lauren Dickason has indicated that her defense will be based on the grounds of insanity and infanticide.
Reports suggest that three defense experts will testify that Dickason was not criminally culpable due to her state of insanity at the time of the murders. To support the infanticide defense, her legal team will need to prove that a “mental disturbance” occurred as a direct result of childbirth, as required by New Zealand law.
Under New Zealand legislation, infanticide can serve as a partial defense to charges of murder or manslaughter. Lauren Dickason has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been held in custody at a medium-security psychiatric unit in Hillmorton Hospital, Christchurch.