The third week of triple-murder accused Lauren Dickason's trial has begun with a defence witness being questioned on her analysis of the mother's mental state.
Forensic psychiatrist Susan Hatters-Friedman, who's giving evidence for the defence, is on the stand for a third day.
She appeared in person at the High Court in Christchurch on Thursday and Friday, but with her evidence taking longer than planned, she has today appeared via video link.
The witness, an international expert on parents who kill their children, didn't interview the defendant until earlier this year, almost two years after she killed her three daughters.
Her assessment of Dickason's state of mind at the time of the killings, in September 2021, was that "[she] presented with symptoms consistent with a major depressive disorder with psychotic features".
He interviewed her four times and told the jury she changed some of her statements the final time they met. (Source: 1News)
"At the time of her offending Dr Lauren Dickason was labouring under a disease of the mind to such an extent that it rendered her incapable of knowing her acts were morally wrong," Hatters-Friedman said on Friday.
She's being cross examined by Crown prosecutor Andrew McRae, who suggested there was a "reframing of events" in Dickason's mind by the time of Hatters-Friedman's interviews with her.
He has referred to letters between Dickason and her husband Graham after her arrest.
The court heard Graham wrote to his wife and expressed a lack of understanding around how the killings took place.
A psychiatrist the accused spoke to soon after the incident said "Lauren seemed somewhat dismayed by this, she stated that Graham been there with her through all of this and had seen how difficult it had all been for her".
"I found her explanation rather confusing myself," he wrote.
'A way of understanding'
His notes say he then suggested to Dickason another way in which she could help her husband to see her state of mind.
"We discussed a way of understanding, that the extreme recurrent stresses Lauren experienced had caused profound depression which reached the point that she felt no option but to end her life.
"We discussed that this decision, having been made, thoughts about the alleged offending then arose in the context of an altruistic act."
An altruistic act, discussed in the trial last week, is where a parent kills “out of love”.
"Lauren seemed to find this explanation helpful," the psychiatrist's notes said, "and agreed that it would be a good way for Graham to understand what had happened".
McRae said "that's the clinician, giving an idea essentially to Ms Dickason about how she can rationalise what has occurred in her mind, isn't it?"
He asked Hatters-Friedman about comments Dickason made to another psychiatrist about not wanting the children to have another mother.
"It is essentially a selfish motive disclosed... isn't it?"
"That's not what I read, no," said the expert.
The court also said heard that in 2022 Dickason read a book on post-natal depression.
While the expert accepted she didn't interview her until after this, she felt it was clear Dickason had post-partum depression before she'd read the book.
She also reiterated to the court that she has looked at all the information on Dickason, from before she became involved.
But McRae said, "The fact that there are comments like this in the clinical notes, which suggest a reforming of events, a reframing of events. That is, that would be, highly relevant in terms of your perspective in assessing what Ms Dickason is telling you?"
Hatters-Friedman responded, "Sure, but think they are well meaning, they want her to understand her illness".
The jury will soon hear evidence from other psychiatrists, who're expected to support the Crown's argument that Dickason killed her children out of anger and resentment, not love.
The 42-year-old denies the charges against her, using the defences of infanticide and insanity.
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