South African mother found guilty of murdering her own three daughters in New Zealand 

New Zealand jury finds Lauren Dickason guilty of murdering her 3 young daughters by smothering 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Parents who end up killing  their own children is not only happening in the United States but also in  other countries as well, still the majority of culprits are white 

A New Zealand jury has found a mother, Lauren Dickason, guilty of murdering her three young daughters. 

Knewz.com has learned that the jury rejected her defense, which claimed that she was so mentally ill at the time that she could not be held responsible for her actions.

According to the Associated Press, Dickason, 42, had previously admitted to killing her 2-year-old twin daughters Maya and Karla, as well as their 6-year-old sister Lianè, at their home in the town of Timaru nearly two years ago. 

However, she pleaded not guilty to murder, arguing that she was suffering from severe depression, which she felt could be attributed to postpartum depression.

Prosecutors acknowledged that Dickason had experienced depression but argued that it was not enough to warrant a medical defense. 

They claimed that she killed her children out of anger and resentment and presented evidence of troubling phone messages and online history in the weeks leading up to the killings - including comments about wanting to kill her children and Google searches for "most effective overdose in kids."

Dickason and her husband Graham, who are both qualified medical professionals, had recently moved from South Africa to New Zealand, settling in Timaru in search of a more stable lifestyle. 

Graham Dickason, an orthopedic surgeon, returned from a work dinner to discover his children dead. 

He later told police that he knew his wife was struggling with her mental health and motherhood but had no idea she was capable of killing.

After a four-week trial, the jury deliberated for three days before delivering their guilty verdicts on three counts of murder. 

The jurors voted 11-1 for conviction and now Dickason now faces a sentence of life imprisonment.

During the reading of the verdict in the Christchurch High Court, Dickason remained motionless in the dock and according to reports from Radio New Zealand, she cried quietly as she left the court. Some of the jurors could also be heard crying.

In a statement, Dickason's parents, Malcolm and Wendy Fawkes, said that their daughter's actions were the result of her debilitating mental illness. 

They urged families and individuals around the world to be aware of the symptoms of postpartum depression, both for themselves and for their loved ones.

Detective Inspector Scott Anderson expressed his condolences to the family, stating that the police were deeply saddened by the tragic circumstances of this investigation, acknowledging that the family would never get to see Lianè, Maya, and Karla grow up and live out their lives.

"Words cannot begin to express the tragic circumstances of this investigation,” the Kiwi law enforcement officer said.