Warning: This story contains evidence from the trial which some readers may find extremely upsetting.
A psychiatrist, summoned by the Crown, says Lauren Dickason had trouble forming a bond with her three daughters.
Dr Erik Monasterio is expected to give his expert opinion on Tuesday that the murder-accused mum was not insane when she killed her three children.
The trial into the Timaru mum has entered its third week at Christchurch's High Court.
Last week, the defence called a leading expert in infanticide to the stand who said Lauren's mind at the time of the killings was disturbed by a disorder that was a consequence of childbirth. Therefore, she believes Lauren was incapable of knowing the act was morally wrong.
Over the course of the trial, the jury will hear from five mental health experts who assessed Lauren after the killings.
She is accused of murdering her little girls - 6-year-old Liané and 2-year-old twins Maya and Karla - at their Timaru home on September 16, 2021.
The children were found dead by their dad Graham Dickason after he returned home from a work function.
Lauren has admitted to killing her children by smothering them to death but pleaded not guilty to murder. Her defence is arguing insanity and infanticide - that she did not know what she was doing at the time of the killings.
However, the Crown alleges Lauren is guilty of murder, saying she was aware of her actions before, during and after the crime.
The trial continues for its eleventh day at the High Court in Christchurch in front of a jury of eight women and four men.
Trouble bonding with children
The Crown summoned an expert witness on Monday who described Lauren's relationship with her children.
Forensic psychiatrist Dr Erik Monasterio interviewed Lauren for a total of nine hours over four occasions, three in October 2021 and once in April 2022. He said it is important to see the accused as early as possible after the alleged offence, as long as they are fit and able to participate in the assessment.
Dr Monasterio recalled the personal history Lauren told him, including how she had difficulty achieving "natural bonding" after Liané was born. She reported the same difficulty forming a "connection" with the twins, particularly struggling with intimacy and nurturing.
She told Dr Monasterio she felt overwhelmed caring for her three daughters and believed the children could sense her anxiety, causing them to prefer her husband Graham. She said the children would play happily with her husband but directed anger towards her.
"I felt ignored and unappreciated," Lauren told Dr Monasterio.
During the first three interviews, Dr Monasterio said Lauren consistently reported a positive relationship with Graham but on their final interview in April 2022, she said she wished to change aspects of her previous accounts.
She told the psychiatrist she made considerable sacrifices to make sure Graham could go on hunting trips and work, meaning she spent a lot of time alone with the children and her frustrations grew.
Lauren also said Graham's angry response to her confiding in him about a thought she had about harming their children caused her to not disclose the further violent thoughts she had two days before they left South Africa.
She told Dr Monasterio about the violent ideation she had of strangling her children with the cable ties they had to close their suitcases - she did not disclose this in the first three interviews.
On Tuesday, Dr Monasterio is expected to give his expert opinion on Lauren's state of mind when she killed her children.
'High functioning' on day of killings - Crown
The Crown continued its cross-examination of forensic psychiatrist Dr Susan Hatters-Friedman on Monday morning.
Last week, Dr Hatters-Friedman said, in her expert opinion, Lauren acted with an altruistic motive, killing her children "out of love" to save them from what she viewed as an unsafe world.
This morning, Crown Prosecutor Andrew McRae argued Lauren was "high functioning" on the day she killed her children. She got out of bed, packed her children's lunches, did their hair and took them to school. She also responded to emails from Immigration New Zealand.
"She isn't lying in bed in a catatonic state not being able to face the world," McRae said.
Dr Hatters-Friedman agreed she was able to do "minimal activities" but said those activities do not show a high level of function for someone who previously worked as a physician.
McRae then told the jury how Lauren had "very purposeful conduct" in the way of killing her children. She placed them into their beds afterwards and then attempted suicide and changed into her pyjamas. She noted she didn't want to make a mess for Graham in the way she conducted the killings.
"It was all goal-directed behaviour, wasn't it? She was able to think and consider her actions at each stage of their progress… Somebody who is dissociated or had a complete break from reality simply couldn't operate in the way she did in killing her girls."
Dr Hatters-Friedman disagreed, saying she was "out of touch with reality" rather than having a complete break from reality.
The trial continues before Justice Cameron Mander.
Where to find help and support:
- Shine (domestic violence) - 0508 744 633
- Women's Refuge - 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE)
- Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
- What's Up - 0800 WHATS UP (0800 942 8787)
- Lifeline - 0800 543 354
- Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
- Samaritans - 0800 726 666
- Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
- Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
- Shakti Community Council - 0800 742 584
