Warning: This story contains evidence from the trial which some readers may find extremely upsetting.
The court heard during Lauren Dickason's trial on Tuesday that she told police she killed two-year-old twin Karla first because she'd been "really horrible to me lately".
A detective interviewed Lauren the day after she killed her children and the video was played to the jury.
The day of the killings, Lauren's husband Graham Dickason left for a dinner meeting around 7pm and Lauren told police her children wouldn't calm down or listen to her.
She told police: "They started playing their hijinks again, and that's when I just couldn't anymore. I was so tired [of the] screaming, I was saying no."
So, 20 minutes after her husband left, she killed them. Lauren was distraught as she explained to police the way she did it, specifically choosing to start with one of the two-year-old twins.
"The first twin [Karla] was being really, really, really horrible to me lately. She's been biting me and hitting me and scratching me and throwing tantrums 24 hours a day and I just don't know how to manage that. That's why I did her first."
Her eldest Liané was killed second. Lauren revealed to police the six-year-old's heartbreaking words to her mum just before she died.
"The oldest one was very angry and she wants to know why I'm doing this to them because I'm the best mum and she loves me."
After the prolonged ordeal, she checked that they were dead.
"I listened for their hearts and pulses."
The detective asked her to describe her children. Lauren described Karla as a firecracker, with a temper on her that you can't describe and aggression that scares both parents. She said Maya was a happy-go-lucky child but going through the terrible twos, and eldest Liané as a loveable dreamer who doesn't listen.
Lauren looked thin, pale and dishevelled in the interview with a blanket over her knee. She was frank with all details and she was highly emotional and crying throughout the more than one-hour interview with police.
The Crown said Lauren murdered her children and presented the video as evidence of that. But Lauren's lawyers said she's not guilty of murder, relying on a defence of insanity and infanticide.
The defence argued she was unfit to be interviewed at this time due to her mental state and the medication in her system.
"What steps did the police as an organisation, you specifically, take to make sure that she was actually in a fit state to be able to participate in an interview?" asked defence counsel Kerryn Beaton KC.
The accused sat often with her head in her hands and weeping throughout listening to her interview play in court and her mother, who is here from South Africa, was in the public gallery for the trial sitting there weeping.
The Crown case is now closed. On Wednesday, the defence opens its case.
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 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
- 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
