New Zealand tragedy: Former colleagues in shock, Pretoria mom in court
The mother of the three children killed in Timaru, New Zealand was expected in court.
A mother of the three young children, who were killed in New Zealand, was set to appear in court – friends and former colleagues were still shocked about the tragedy that unfolded on Thursday.
Drs Graham and Lauren Dickason’s three children: Liane (6) and twins Karla and Maya (2) were found dead in their house in Timaru where they had recently moved to from SA.
The girls’ mom was subsequently arrested and charged for their deaths and would appear in the Timaru district court today.
It was still unclear what had happened in the Dickasons’ new home before the children’s death.
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Former colleagues and friends in Pretoria, were still baffled by the tragedy that had befell the “happy family”.
On Saturday, Netcare Pretoria East Hospital, where both Lauren and Graham worked, told Rekord that staff and former colleagues of the couple were deeply saddened by the news.
Pieter Louw, general manager of the hospital, said: “We are deeply saddened by what has taken place. Our hearts go out to our former colleagues, their families and loved ones to whom we offer our unconditional support at this very difficult time for them.”
Graham, an orthopaedic surgeon, and Lauren, a doctor in the same field, had moved into their new home close to the hospital they had started work at in Timaru.
Rekord spoke to former nanny and friend of the family Mandy Sibanyoni on Friday, who described the Dickasons as “a really happy family”.
“Lauren is such a wonderful and happy person. It is through her that I met the people I currently work for,” she said.
“The (kids’) dad is an awesome guy and he loved his girls.”
Speaking to Rekord through tears, Sibanyoni said she had worked for the family from 2018 till 2020, but still kept contact with them after.
She said she met the twins four days after they were born and loved the children as her own.
ALSO READ:UPDATE: Nanny talks about ‘happy family’ before tragedy in NZ
Sibanyoni last saw Lauren and the kids in June this year.
After the story about the children’s death, and their mother’s arrest, broke – social media was abuzz about what could have happened at the Dickasons’ new home.
The New Zealand Herald previously wrote that police would no longer comment on the case as the matter was now in court.
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