Kathleen Folbigg, the Australian mother who spent over two decades in prison for the deaths of her four children, has been formally acquitted by the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal. The court quashed her convictions on Thursday, citing reasonable doubt following new scientific evidence.
Folbigg, 56, was granted an unconditional pardon and released in June after an inquiry found that genetic mutations and natural causes likely explained the children's deaths. The inquiry, led by former chief justice Tom Bathurst, identified a rare genetic variant as a possible cause for two of the deaths and myocarditis for another.
The appeal judges agreed that Folbigg's diary entries, which were used at her 2003 trial to suggest guilt, did not constitute reliable admissions. Folbigg had maintained that the entries reflected her grief and feelings of failure as a mother.
Speaking outside court, Folbigg expressed gratitude for the scientific advancements that exonerated her and criticised the justice system for blaming her rather than accepting that children can die suddenly. She also called for improvements to prevent wrongful imprisonment.
Folbigg's lawyers have indicated she may seek compensation from the state for her wrongful conviction.
