A woman, who had been imprisoned for two decades in connection with the deaths of her four children and was pardoned in June, had her convictions overturned by New South Wales state on Thursday. Kathleen Folbigg, who spent 20 years behind bars, was initially convicted in 2003 for murdering three of her children and manslaughter in the case of the fourth. Asserting her innocence, Folbigg claimed that her children died of natural causes between 1989 and 1999.
Despite an initial inquiry in 2019 upholding her guilt, a subsequent investigation in 2022, led by a former chief justice, revealed new evidence suggesting a genetic mutation in two of the children, possibly causing their deaths. Folbigg, emotional about the revelation, thanked updated science for providing answers. She expressed gratitude that science and genetics had provided insights into her children's deaths.
Released in June after receiving a pardon, Folbigg revealed her disappointment that legal evidence proving her innocence in 1999 had been ignored, emphasizing the system's inclination to blame rather than accept the possibility of sudden, unexpected, and heartbreaking child deaths. Folbigg's lawyer, Rhanee Rego, mentioned plans to file a claim for "substantial" compensation, highlighting that the amount would surpass any previous wrongful imprisonment payments.
The case, primarily relying on circumstantial evidence, stirred controversy among scientists and statisticians, some of whom advocated for Folbigg's release. Anna-Maria Arabia, CEO of the Australian Academy of Science, emphasized the need for law reform to prevent similar miscarriages of justice in the future, pointing out the failure to adhere to basic scientific principles during the trial.
