Warning: This story contains graphic details and may be triggering to some readers
Lauren Dickason, accused of killing her three daughters, was not delusional and psychotic at the time of the murders as previously stated by expert witness Dr Susan Hatters-Friedman, the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand heard on Monday.
The prosecution team has tried to prove that the 42 year-old was not delusional and psychotic.
Prosecutor Andrew McRae, during cross examination, made mention of Hatters-Friedman’s report on Lauren, which was compiled 18 months after she had killed her children, Stuff.NZ reported.
McRae asked if the time passed may have had an impact on her findings.
Hatters-Friedman said she would have liked to interview her earlier, but stated she felt confident she still had a comprehensive outlook on Lauren to give a proper diagnosis.
Hatters-Friedman is a clinical psychologist who has focused on the subject of infanticide, an argument the defence has based its strategy on.
McRae acknowledged that Lauren underwent two psychiatric assessments before she could see Hatters-Friedman.
Both of these assessments, which happened almost immediately after the killings, did not identify any psychosis or delusions.
Hatters-Friedman agreed but said it could not be ruled out and would require further assessments.
“Would you accept from me that from November through to January (three to four months after the deaths), there was no presence of psychotic features?” McRae asked Hatters-Friedman.
Hatters-Friedman then argued the semantics, and said the words used in the report were “no clear” presence rather than “no” psychosis.
“My point is…this doctor is best placed to do those assessments, because he is seeing her face to face…close in time to when this occurred?” McRae asked.
Hatters-Friedman responded: “He is best placed, but is still working on assessing it.”
On Friday, during evidence for the defence, Hatters-Friedman told the court she believed Lauren was delusional and psychotic at the time of the murders.
McRae asked how Lauren was able to take her children to school, make their lunch and do their hair “immaculately” if she was delusional.
He also mentioned that the day of the killings, Lauren had replied to various immigration related emails, took the children to the park, cooked dinner and washed the dishes.
“She was actually not catatonic. (She) was able to do activities purposefully during the day, wasn’t she?” McRae asked Hatters-Friedman.
Hatters-Friedman responded: “I don’t remember anyone suggesting she was catatonic. Yes, she was able to do minimum activities.”
The word catatonic was used by a paramedic who was called out to the home in Timaru the night of the murders.
The paramedic assessed Lauren and told the court during evidence that she was catatonic.
McRae asked what Lauren’s state of mind was at the time of killing the girls, six-year old Liané, and two-year-old twins Maya and Karla.
“That she was out of touch with reality…that she (thought she) was taking her children who she cared and loved for so much out of this unsafe New Zealand…that is obviously out of touch with reality,” Hatters-Friedman said.
The night of the murders, the court heard that Lauren’s husband Graham left home for a work function and came home to find his three daughters dead in their beds, tucked in.
The court heard that Lauren killed the three children by first trying to strangle them with cable ties but then smothering them.
The court also heard that a urinary test conducted on Lauren, a day after the killings, found antidepressants, anti-anxiety, anti-nausea and tramadol in her system.
Lauren’s mother, Wendy Fawkes testified that she was a caring mother but was sometimes neurotic in the way she cared for the children.
The court also heard about the incidents where Lauren told Graham that she wanted to hurt the children, which started while they still lived in Pretoria, South Africa.
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