Australia: A woman Pardoned After 20 Years in Jail for Children’s Deaths

Kathleen Megan Folbigg, convicted in 2003 for murder and manslaughter of her children, freed after 20 years, maintaining innocence.

_{^{Australian woman convicted in 2003 for children’s deaths pardoned after 20 years in jail. (Representative Image)}}

After spending two decades behind bars for the deaths of her four children, a woman has been granted a pardon by the state of New South Wales.

Kathleen Megan Folbigg, who was convicted in 2003 for the murder of her three children and the manslaughter of her fourth, was released following a judicial review that cast doubt on the validity of her original convictions.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Folbigg steadfastly maintained her innocence, asserting that her children had passed away due to natural causes.

Following an initial inquiry in 2019 that seemingly reinforced Kathleen Megan Folbigg’s guilt, a second inquiry led by former chief justice Thomas Bathurst was conducted in 2022.

This inquiry was prompted by newly discovered evidence indicating that two of Folbigg’s children possessed a genetic mutation that might have been responsible for their deaths.

As a result of the summary findings from the Bathurst inquiry, which presented reasonable doubt for each of her convictions, New South Wales state Attorney General Michael Daley granted a pardon to Folbigg on Monday.

New South Wales state Attorney General Michael Daley expressed his belief in the judicial system’s capacity to deliver justice, following the confirmation of Kathleen Megan Folbigg’s pardon. Daley emphasized the significance of the rule of law as a crucial foundation of their democratic system.

He acknowledged the challenging circumstances that unfolded over the past two decades, expressing sympathy for Kathleen and Craig Folbigg.

Daley clarified that the unconditional pardon would grant Folbigg her freedom but would not overturn her convictions. In a memo to the Attorney General, former chief justice Thomas Bathurst stated that there existed a reasonable possibility that three of the children had died of natural causes.

Bathurst highlighted the presence of a genetic mutation called CALM2-G114R as a potential factor in the deaths of two children, while attributing one death to an underlying neurogenic disorder. These doubts undermined the prosecution’s case regarding the manslaughter of Folbigg’s fourth child, as per Bathurst.

Furthermore, Bathurst stated his inability to accept the notion that the evidence presented demonstrated anything other than Folbigg being a caring mother to her children.

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Toshika Chauhan