Australian woman who spent 20 years in jail over deaths of her four children is pardoned

A woman who was jailed over the deaths of her four children in Australia has been pardoned, after a review found reasonable doubt over the original convictions.

Kathleen Folbigg was convicted for the murder of three of her children and the manslaughter of a fourth in 2003, leading her to be once branded “Australia’s worst female serial killer”.

An inquiry in 2019 upheld Ms Folbigg’s guilt, but a second inquiry in 2022 examined new evidence which suggested two of the children had a genetic mutation that could have caused their deaths.

On Monday New South Wales state Attorney General Michael Daley pardoned Ms Folbigg after summary findings from the inquiry found reasonable doubt for each conviction.

“The result today is confirmation that our judicial system is capable of delivering justice, and demonstrates that the rule of law is an important underpinning of our democratic system,” he said.

“Given all that has happened over the last 20 years, it is impossible not to feel sympathy for Kathleen and Craig Folbigg.”

Mr Daley said the unconditional pardon would allow Folbigg to walk free but would not quash her convictions.

Ms Folbigg has always maintained her innocence and said the children had died of natural causes.

In a memo to the Attorney General, former chief justice Thomas Bathurst, who led the 2022 inquiry, said there was a reasonable possibility three of the children died from natural causes, two due to a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R and one because of an underlying neurogenic disorder.

Such doubts then undermined the Crown’s case in relation to the manslaughter of her fourth child, Bathurst added.

“Further, I am unable to accept the proposition that the evidence establishes that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children,” he said.

The children died separately over a decade, at between 19 days and 19 months old.

Ms Folbigg was serving a 30-year prison sentence which was to expire in 2033. She would have become eligible for parole in 2028.