Kathleen Folbigg, once branded 'Australia's worst mother' and convicted of killing her four children, has been pardoned and released after 20 years in prison. The decision, announced on Monday, follows what her lawyers describe as one of Australia's worst miscarriages of justice, highlighting flawed and misogynistic evidence that led to her 2003 conviction.
Folbigg, now 55, was sentenced to 40 years for the murders of Sarah, Patrick, and Laura, and the manslaughter of her first son Caleb. The children died between 1989 and 1999, aged between 19 days and 18 months. Prosecutors argued she had smothered them, citing her personal diaries and a history of trauma—including her father killing her mother when she was a toddler.
However, a fresh inquiry led by retired judge Tom Bathurst found reasonable doubt due to new genetic evidence. Scientists, including Nobel laureates, discovered rare gene mutations in Folbigg and her children that could explain the deaths. The CALM2 G114R variant, present in Folbigg and her daughters, is linked to a cardiac condition occurring in one in 35 million people. Another mutation in her sons is associated with epilepsy in mice.
Professor Carola Vinuesa from the Australian National University led the research, sequencing Folbigg's DNA and identifying the mutations. She said the findings proved the children could have died from natural causes, overturning the original statistical improbability argument used to convict Folbigg.
Folbigg's ex-husband, Craig Folbigg, who testified against her and handed over her diaries, remains convinced of her guilt. He refused to provide a DNA sample during the 2019 inquiry. Folbigg, who has always maintained her innocence, expressed 'extreme gratitude' upon her release.
