NZ police arrest woman over death of her children

A woman who moved from South Africa to New Zealand just weeks ago has been arrested in relation to the alleged murder of her three young daughters.

Police on Friday (September 17) charged a woman in the port city of Timaru.

Canterbury Detective Inspector, Scott Anderson:

"The investigation into this tragedy is still in its very early stages but we can confirm that no one else is being sort in relation to the deaths of the three children."

The woman, Lauren Anne Dickason, appeared at the Timaru District court on Saturday (September 18) morning, where a judge remanded her to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.

The 40-year-old is charged with killing her two-year-old twins and their six-year-old sister, police said.

Their bodies were found on Thursday (September 16) at a property where the family stayed.

Police said the family had moved to Timaru, a city of about 29,000 people, on New Zealand's South Island.

New Zealand media reported that both Dickason and her husband are doctors.