Warning: This story contains graphic details and may be triggering to some readers.
He said “it’s my fault’, I think he meant by bringing them here.“
He added: ‘She’s done this to hurt me,’ then he said, ‘It’s my fault.' I told him it wasn’t and that he did his best."
These are the words of Cathy Cvitanich, the wife of Graham’s colleague Mark who was testifying in the New Zealand High Court in Christchurch today.
It is an excerpt from a transcript of court proceedings posted online by New Zealand website, Stuff.NZ.
This was the first time in the case that the court heard Graham confessing to some sort of blame for the deaths of their three daughters.
Prior to this, the court had heard how Lauren was a loving mother and he, a devoted father.
But as more evidence comes forward, the dynamic of the Dickason’s marriage is also coming under the spotlight.
On September 16, the day Lauren killed her three daughters, Graham came home to find them and quickly called Mark and told him what had happened.
Mark and Cathy Cvitanich then rushed to the Dickason’s home on Queen Street in Timaru.
In an emotional account, Cathy said they remember seeing Graham at the end of the driveway, holding his head in his hands.
“I heard Graham howling, it was horrible."
As they approached him, Graham said ‘they’re dead’ and also mentioned the cable ties, Cvitanich said.
“He said she was mad, and that he couldn’t believe she would do that."
Cathy asked Graham why Lauren would do that and he brought up her depression and anxiety.
Teary-eyed and forced to break in between accounts, Cvitanich continued…
“He was crying and saying ‘my babies’. He was really crying.“ He was distraught.
“He said ‘it’s my fault’, I think he meant by bringing them here.
“He said, ‘She’s done this to hurt me,’ then he said, ‘It’s my fault.' I told him it wasn’t and that he did his best."
Four days before Lianè, Maya and Karla’s death, the Dickason’s went to a family dinner at the Templeton’s home - another work colleague of Graham from Timaru Hospital.
Teresa Templeton, the wife of David Templeton, gave evidence about the night they all had dinner together on September 12.
Templeton said she did not notice anything out of the ordinary. She said the couple showed some affection to one another and the children seemed happy.
She said Lauren messaged her afterward, thanking her for the hospitality and the bread and milk Teresa had bought for them on arrival.
The High Court also heard evidence from Laetitia Smit, from Pretoria, who moved to Timaru in about 2020. Smit’s statement was read to the court.
In it, she talked about the day she was introduced to the Dickason’s at Timaru Christian School.
She spoke to Graham.
“He said, ‘Can I ask you one thing, can you please look after my wife, the last two weeks have broken her.’” Smit’s statement read.
“I said of course.”
Smit went over to get Lauren’s number. Smit said she seemed as though she had a “black cloud” over her.
“It seemed like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders ... She didn’t talk much and didn’t seem like the person I saw on Facebook. I could tell Lauren was not coping well."
On September 16, Smit messaged Lauren to organise a dinner. Her message was never read and it was the last contact she had with the Dickason’s.
Another expat living in Timaru, Isabella Kruger, had an interaction with Lauren and noticed something off about her behaviour.
Kruger also gave a statement that was read out.
Prior to the two meeting, Lauren and Isabella spoke online, primarily about the stress of moving abroad and getting settled down.
Dickason told Kruger she thought her husband would be home more often to help out but he had gone to work every day and life had become overwhelming.
Lauren was thin and “did not seem like the woman I had been messaging”. She said everything was overwhelming and she was still trying to find her feet here, Kruger said.
“That was the only time I met Lauren ... it wasn’t until I met her that I was concerned."
The court case is expected to continue for three weeks.
IOL
Are you or someone you know may be affected by mental health? If so here are some important numbers:
- The SA Depression and Anxiety Group's 24-hour mental health helpline: 0800 456 789
- The SA Federation for Mental Health: 011 781 1852