A woman imprisoned for 20 years over the deaths of her four children was pardoned by New South Wales state on Monday after a judicial review found there was reasonable doubt about the original convictions.
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Kathleen Megan Folbigg was convicted in 2003 for the murder of her three children and the manslaughter of her fourth. She maintained her innocence and said the children had died of natural causes.
An initial inquiry in 2019 found the evidence reinforced Folbigg’s guilt. However, a second inquiry led by former chief justice Thomas Bathurst revisited her convictions in 2022 after new evidence suggested two of the children had a genetic mutation that could have caused their deaths.
New South Wales state Attorney General Michael Daley pardoned Folbigg on Monday after summary findings from the Bathurst inquiry found reasonable doubt for each conviction.
Kathleen Folbigg has received an unconditional pardon after reasonable doubt emerged for her role in the deaths of her four children between 1989 and 1999 l @alicemhogg pic.twitter.com/jjeCAFWyks
— 10 News First Sydney (@10NewsFirstSyd) June 5, 2023
In a memo to the Attorney General, Bathurst 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 in his report.
Folbigg was released from prison and is thought to be staying with a friend.
source:
Reuters