NOT THE LAURIE WE KNEW

Friends of the SA mom accused of murdering her three daughters open up about their shock at the tragedy

- CYRIL BLACKBURN & PIETER VAN ZYL

TO THOSE who knew her well, she was “lovely Laurie”, a loyal wife and friend, a pillar of the community, a devoted mother to her three little girls.

She’d been looking forward to moving to New Zealand and starting a new chapter – which is why, when the shocking news broke that the children were dead, the idea that Lauren Dickason might be responsible was the last thing on her best friend Paula’s* mind.

“She hugged those little girls of hers to pieces every day, as if she couldn’t get enough of them,” Paula says. “I thought maybe they’d been burgled or maybe there’d been a terrible freak accident. I didn’t think it could’ve been Lauren.

“Not the Lauren we love so dearly.”

When New Zealand authorities confirmed Lauren (40) had been arrested for the deaths of Liane (6) and twins Maya and Karla (2), she was speechless – as was Amanda*, another close friend.

“We couldn’t believe it. We still can’t. The Lauren we know isn’t capable of something like that.”

Paula, Amanda and another friend, Hanli Hunt, say they never suspected Lauren had mental-health issues. It’s reported she stopped taking her chronic medication before leaving for New Zealand.

“There must’ve been a part of her life we didn’t know anything about,” Paula says.

“We saw her nearly every day.”

There were never signs Lauren was struggling, Amanda adds.

“She was just Laurie – always smiling, always loving.”