A father who found his three daughters dead at home in New Zealand - as his wife stands accused of murdering them - had helped plan their relocation from South Africa for two years, according to friends.
Orthopaedic surgeon Graham Dickason and his wife, Lauren, a fellow doctor, also had the 'prettiest and neatest house', said a woman who used to work with them at Pretoria East Hospital.
Mr Dickason found the bodies of two-year-old twins Karla and Maya and their older sister Liane, six, at their home in Timaru shortly before 10pm on Thursday when he returned home after attending a work function at Timaru Hospital.
'They were a perfect normal family, they had the prettiest and neatest house in the estate, there was nothing strange, even when they spoke to each other it was calm and kind,' the hospital colleague told Stuff.
The woman, who used to work with the Dickasons in the operating theatre, added: 'He is what you would call a genuine nice guy... she was more of an introvert; quiet, but very humble. It wasn't strange that she didn't speak much, it was just her nature.'
The tragedy came one week after the family moved to neighbourhood after two weeks in Covid quarantine.
Neighbours speculated stress after being quarantined 'for so long' could have left Mrs Dickason unable to cope.
Graham and Lauren Dickason (pictured with their children) had just moved to New Zealand from Pretoria, South Africa and recently finished their 14-day hotel quarantine. The couple had planned their relocation from South Africa for two years, according to friends
The Dickasons had the 'prettiest and neatest house', said a woman who used to work with the pair at Pretoria East Hospital - where Mrs Dickason, a fellow doctor, assisted her husband in the operating theatre. (Above, two-year-old twins Karla and Maya and their older sister Liane, six)
Yesterday, church-going Mrs Dickason, 40, stood silently while appearing in the dock at Timaru District Court after being accused of murder.
She looked drawn and distressed as she entered no plea and was remanded to a secure mental health unit until her next appearance, at Timaru High Court on October 5.
The couple, married for 15 years, had only been released from 14 days enforced Covid quarantine in a hotel following their life-changing flight from South Africa to start a new life days before the alleged murders.
Neighbours in Timaru described distressed wailing shortly after Mr Dickason arrived home on Thursday night and watched as he was consoled by another doctor who lived next door.
His wife was taken to hospital after police arrived minutes later.
The children's father Graham Dickason, who is an orthopaedic surgeon, had returned to their Timaru home at around 10pm on Thursday where he discovered the children's bodies. Pictured: Graham and Lauren
Mr Dickason was heard by neighbours screaming 'is this really happening?' when he arrived home.
'The first noise we heard was somebody sobbing, and then we heard a loud thud like someone just slammed a door,' the neighbour Jade Whaley told Stuff.
'We could see someone through our fence wandering behind the house and wailing.'
Another resident, Karen Cowper, described hearing a man crying and saying 'is this really happening?'.
'We asked him if he was okay. He did not respond to us and was screaming and crying hysterically,' Ms Cowper said.
A former neighbour in South Africa, who did not want to be named, said the couple were very 'grateful' for their children.
'They absolutely adored those children. They were so grateful for having them because they struggled to get pregnant and when they finally got the children, they loved them,' the neighbour said.
'Something just doesn't add up. I don't know if it's the stress from New Zealand, moving there, being quarantined for so long and everything - just not coping with that going on.
Churchgoing doctor Lauren Dickason, who struggled for years to get pregnant, appeared in court last night charged with murdering her three young daughters. Above: Mrs Dickason with husband Graham, two-year-old twins Karla and Maya and their older sister Liane, six
Many details were suppressed under New Zealand law and no cause of death for any of the three girls has emerged. Above: Mrs Dickason's children
Just four months ago, Mrs Dickason had paid a loving public tribute to her husband on Facebook, writing: 'Happy 15th wedding anniversary ... What an adventure,' she wrote
'So I think whatever happened is not normal, it wasn't normal
