Australian woman in prison for the death of her four children has her convictions formally quashed by a court

A 56-year-old Australian woman, Kathleen Folbigg, who had been serving a 20-year prison sentence for the deaths of her four children, had her convictions officially overturned by the New South Wales (NSW) Supreme Court. The court, on Thursday (Dec 14), declared that Folbigg was wrongfully convicted, citing unreliable evidence in the case. Described as one of Australia’s most significant miscarriages of justice, Folbigg had attempted multiple legal challenges, but they were consistently rejected until earlier this year when a retired judge’s inquiry raised reasonable doubt about her guilt.

Folbigg expressed her gratitude outside the court, thanking “updated science and genetics” for providing answers about how her children died. Emotional about the ordeal, she criticized the system for wrongly blaming her and emphasized that her children would always be close to her heart.

In 2003, Folbigg was convicted on three counts of murder and one of manslaughter following the sudden deaths of her four babies—Caleb, Patrick, Sarah, and Laura—between 1989 and 1999. The first three deaths were initially attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but Laura’s death, at 18 months, triggered a forensic investigation. The court relied on circumstantial evidence, including Folbigg’s diaries, to depict her as an unstable mother prone to rage. The diaries were not examined by psychologists or psychiatrists, and Folbigg was sentenced to 40 years in jail, later reduced to 30 years on appeal.

Folbigg expressed frustration with the legal system and society, asserting that even in 1999, she had legal answers to prove her innocence, which were ignored. She called for a thoughtful approach before blaming a parent for harming their children. This exoneration marks the end of a lengthy legal battle and offers Folbigg an opportunity to seek compensation from the NSW government.