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I killed my twin over ‘bad behaviour’ – woman tells police

Published

2 years ago

July 29, 2023

I killed my twin over ‘bad behaviour’ – woman tells police

A mother has explained why she decided to snuff the life out her three children.

Lauren Anne Dickason, 42, was charged with murdering her daughters Liane, aged six, and twins Maya and Karla, aged two after allegedly suffocating them to death, according to Daily Mail

She told the police that she killed one of her twins first because she was “badly behaved”.

Dickason, who is on trial in the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand, admitted to killing her children but denies it was murder.

Her defence claims she is not guilty by reason of insanity.

“I did the twins first… The first one was being really, really, really horrible to me lately,” the mum explained, referring to Karla.

“She has 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 is why I did her first.”

The sisters were found dead at their home in Timaru on New Zealand’s South Island on September 16, 2021, by their father Graham Dickason.

The surgeon had moved with his wife and daughters from Pretoria, South Africa, to start a new life just days before.

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On the night of the alleged triple murder, the 42-year-old smothered the girls 20 minutes after her husband left for a work function.

On Tuesday, the jury watched a video of Dickason’s interview with police the day after the girls died.

The recording showed the mother saying she had not “felt normal” for months before “something just snapped”, the New Zealand Herald reported.

During the interview, she talked about the “overwhelming” move from South Africa to New Zealand and said how she had lost hope.

“I don’t even know where to start… It just got too overwhelming – and with the new visa thing that came through yesterday I just see no hope for us here in the future,” Dickason told cops.

“Just getting on the aeroplane was enough of an effort, there was so much paperwork to be done and then there was the two weeks in MIQ which almost had us crazy.

“Something just snapped last night.”

She explained that the children were jumping on couches and not listening to her.

So she went to the garage, spotted some cable ties and thought, “That could possibly work”.

In the interview, Dickason admitted she “had been thinking about it for sure,” and put the three sisters in a room before using the cable ties on them.

That attempt was unsuccessful, however, so she suffocated them.

Detectives then heard that Dickason tucked each child into their beds, pulling the blankets over their heads fully aware that they were dead.

She said: “Then I decided I had to do something with myself… and I ran through the house and none of the knives were sharp and then I just started drinking my medication that I could find. I wanted to die.”

Dickason explained that in the lead-up to the alleged triple murder, she had been getting only two hours of sleep a night, was losing many kilos due to stress and had not felt normal for around nine or 10 weeks before.

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She went on to say that moving to New Zealand had only exacerbated issues.

The mother added that it was her “first day off” in four months, telling officers that after killing the girls she just climbed into bed with a hot water bottle and processed everything that had happened.

In the interview, Dickason explained that she been diagnosed with major depressive disorder in 2015, had post-natal depression after the birth of each daughter and was being medicated for years before stopping in early 2021.

She also admitted to having thoughts of harming her kids in the past and had told her husband on three occasions that she was scared as she had considered hurting their children.

The mother sat with her head in her hands as the interview recording was played in court.

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard Dickason had carried out several searches regarding how to overdose children and what the lethal or fatal qualities of specific drugs were.

Last week, Crown Prosecutor Andrew McRae alleged Dickason was an angry and frustrated woman, who resented her daughters for standing in the way of her relationship with her husband.

Mr McRae alleged the mother was fully aware of her actions and labelled the killings as methodical, purposeful and perhaps clinical.

The defence, however, argued that Dickason was “very unwell” and didn’t recognise how unwell she was until it was “too late”.

The trial will resume on Wednesday and is expected to run for at least another two weeks.
Experts are also expected to speak on whether they believe the mother was insane

I killed my twin over ‘bad behaviour’ – woman tells police

metro

Ex-LG chair challenges El-Rufai’s claims on council funds

Published

2 hours ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai

Ex-LG chair challenges El-Rufai’s claims on council funds

Former Secretary of the Association of Local Governments Of Nigeria (ALGON), Kaduna State chapter, Alhaji Kabiru Jarimi, has refuted ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s claim that he never interfered with Area Councils’ funds during his tenure.

Jarimi, who served under El-Rufai’s administration, described the claim as misleading, stating that funds were routinely deducted from councils’ allocations under various guises by the previous government.

The ex-ALGON State Secretary, who is also the former Chairman of Kaduna South local government, disclosed this in an interview over the weekend.

“I was shocked by El Rufai’s comment because local government funds were deducted without our approval. Most of the deductions targeted Southern Kaduna LGAs.

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“We never got our full allocations under El-Rufai. His government kept introducing policies to deduct funds unnecessarily. I even considered resigning. At times, we had no funds for overhead costs after paying salaries,” he recalled.

Jarimi, who said that El-Rufai justified the deductions as necessary to settle workers’ salaries, further noted that the state government also employed various means to withdraw additional funds.

The former Council Chairman cited the creation of the Kaduna Capital Territory Authority, Zaria Metropolitan Authority and Kafanchan Municipal Authority as a means of shortchanging local governments.

“Salaries were shared 60–40 between the capital territories and LGs around them. In Kaduna South, deductions were made in the name of sanitation, forcing us to remit funds to the Kaduna Capital Territory Authority (KCTA) every month,” he stated.

The former Chairman further alleged that the funds of local governments outside the capital territories were also deducted without explanation, citing deductions for security and ‘riot damage.’

Ex-LG chair challenges El-Rufai’s claims on council funds

metro

Gunmen abduct Catholic priest in Anambra

Published

2 hours ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Gunmen abduct Catholic priest in Anambra

A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Stephen Echezona of St. Patrick Church, Ichida, has been reportedly abducted by gunmen in Anambra State.

According to a report by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, the incident occurred around 6:00 p.m. on Saturday when four armed men, operating in a white Lexus 330 SUV with an unknown registration number, intercepted the cleric and whisked him away along with his Toyota Highlander SUV.

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A joint team of security operatives and local vigilantes (AVG) were said to have responded swiftly to the attack, pursuing the assailants and engaging them in a gun duel at a road intersection between Oraeri and Akwaeze villages.

Though the criminals managed to escape, their Lexus SUV sustained significant damage, including a shattered rear windshield.

The Anambra Police Command is yet to release a statement on the abduction of the priest.

Gunmen abduct Catholic priest in Anambra

metro

Adeleke University didn’t suspend Muslims for praying – MSSN

Published

2 hours ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Adeleke University didn’t suspend Muslims for praying – MSSN

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Adeleke University Branch, Ede, Osun State, has described as “fake news” a statement credited to MURIC which alleged the suspension of a Muslim student of the university over Friday prayers.

The association, in a statement signed by its Ameer, Imran Adigun AbdulHakeem, on Sunday, said MURIC’s reports circulated on social media were a misrepresentation of happenings within the university, saying “our faith is respected by the management.”

In another letter, the association apologised to the director and facilitator of the university, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Adeleke-Sanni, whom the association credited with providing a conducive atmosphere for Muslim students to practise their faith.

The letter reads: “On behalf of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Adeleke University Chapter, [I] write to address the ongoing misinformation circulating on social media and other platforms regarding the suspension of Muslim Students for praying on Campus.

“On the 14th of March, 2025, we were temporarily suspended from observing our Night Ramadan Prayers (Taraweeh) and Jummat prayers on campus on the orders of the Director of Security Service (DSS).

“However, on the 18th of March, we met with Dr. Mrs. Modupe Adeleke regarding these challenges.

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“She provided us with a place where we could observe Ramadan, Jummat prayers, and the five daily prayers which we accepted. As a result, the suspension has been lifted, and we have resumed prayers at the new location provided by the university on the orders of Dr Modupe Adeleke.

“At no time have Muslim Students been forced to change their beliefs. While challenges may arise in any diverse academic institution, the university management has always been open to dialogue, and we have continued to receive support in practicing our faith.

“Adeleke University has provided a peaceful and respectful environment for all faiths, and we continue to practice our religion freely.

“We urge the public to disregard the misinformation that may have been spread regarding this matter as they do not reflect the reality of our experiences,” the letter to the university management noted.

The letter of apology to Chief (Mrs) Dupe Adeleke-Sanni reads: “As-salamu alaykum (peace be upon you). On behalf of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Adeleke University Chapter, I apologize for any distress caused by the false social media reports.

“We assure you that we had no hand in spreading the misinformation. We are deeply grateful for your unwavering support, guidance, and kindness towards us.

“Your commitment to our well-being and academic success is invaluable, and we appreciate everything you’ve done for us. May Allah (SWT) reward you abundantly for your good deeds. Jazakumullah khairan (may Allah reward you with goodness).

“Thank you for being an exceptional Mother and mentor. We are blessed to have you,” the letter added.