Africa-Press – South-Africa. After South African doctor Lauren Dickason was found guilty of murder by a jury in the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand this week, a number of people have sent messages of support while others have called for a retrial.
The series of posts by Facebook users who joined the “Support for Lauren Dickason” group believe the jury ignored her mental illness before handing down judgment.
A jury of eight women and four men found Dickason strangled and smothered to death six-year-old LianeĢ and two-year-old twins Maya and Karla on 16 September 2021 while her husband was out for dinner with colleagues.
News24 previously reported Dickason’s legal representatives made a case to suggest she experienced a major depressive episode and thought she had to kill herself as well as her daughters.
The Facebook users who sent messages of support included people who said they attended high school with Dickason.
One woman wrote:
“I joined this group as I saw a safe haven for people who support people, but I think this verdict did so much damage and enforces the stigma around mental health.”
Another woman wrote: “I’m devastated … and feel sick to the stomach. Lauren was in my high school class. She’s a gentle, compassionate & kind woman, someone you would all love.”
The Facebook posts shared the same sentiments as Dickason’s parents, who maintain she killed her children because of postpartum depression.
Dickason is still awaiting sentence.
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