Timaru triple-homicide: Accused mother to plead insanity

The woman accused of murdering her three children at their Timaru home has made her first appearance in court in person since the week of her arrest and it has been confirmed she will mount a defence of insanity and infanticide at her trial next month.

Lauren Anne Dickason's case was called in the High Court today.

Dickason allegedly killed 6-year-old Liané, and 2-year-old twins Maya and Karla at their Timaru home on September 16, 2021.

Her husband, orthopaedic surgeon Graham Dickason, found the three children dead and his wife in a serious condition when he arrived home from dinner with colleagues.

The family had emigrated to New Zealand from Pretoria, South Africa, and had only been in Timaru two weeks - following a stint in MIQ - when the children died.

The specific details of their deaths have been suppressed.

Dickason first appeared in the Timaru District Court two days after the alleged murders.

She was remanded in custody to the medium secure psychiatric unit at Hillmorton Hospital.

Since then she has not attended any of her court hearings either in person or via audio-visual link.

But today she was in the dock before Justice Rob Osborne in the High Court at Christchurch ahead of her trial, set to start on July 17.

Dickason was brought into the courtroom before Justice Osborne entered the courtroom.

She sat quietly in the dock with a support person, listening to her lawyer, Kerryn Beaton KC, speak in the short hearing - a callover to work through administrative issues ahead of the trial.

It has been confirmed that Dickason will use a defence of insanity and infanticide - with three defence experts agreeing at the time the children died she was insane and therefore not criminally culpable.

The Crown expert has an opposing view.

Dickason earlier pleaded not guilty to all three murder charges.

The number of witnesses is yet to be confirmed but the trial is currently set down for two weeks.

Graham Dickason may be called to give evidence about the day his children were killed and at least four expert witnesses will speak to whether the alleged murderer was insane or not at the time of the killings.

Justice Osborne declined media applications to film photographs and take photos of Dickason in the dock today.

After the three girls were found dead, Dickason was rushed to Timaru Hospital in a critical condition.

Within 24 hours she had been arrested and charged with the three murders.

A week after the alleged murders, Graham Dickason said he had forgiven his wife and felt she was also a victim in the tragedy.

He has since returned to South Africa but has visited New Zealand at least once.

Details of any funeral or farewell for the children have not been shared by the family.