Australian woman jailed for 20 years for death of her four children acquitted
A preliminary investigation of the matter in 2019 confirmed Folbigg’s guilt. However, new details from a second investigation headed by a former chief judge in 2022 revealed that two of the children may have died from a genetic abnormality.
Folbigg was pardoned and was allowed to leave jail in June of this year.
“I am grateful that updated science and genetics has given me answers as to how my children died,” an emotional Folbigg told reporters outside a criminal appeals court in Sydney.
“However, even in 1999, we had legal answers to prove my innocence. They were ignored. And dismissed,” she said. “The system preferred to blame me rather than accept that sometimes, children can and do die suddenly, unexpectedly, and heartbreakingly.”
Folbigg’s lawyer, Rhanee Rego, said her legal team was preparing a claim for “substantial” compensation for her wrongful imprisonment.
“I’m not prepared to put a figure it, but it will be bigger than any substantial payment that has been made before,” she said.
The case, which relied predominantly on circumstantial evidence, caused controversy among scientists and statisticians, some of whom were part of the campaign to secure Folbigg’s release.
“Although there was new scientific evidence (in 2019) … basic scientific principles were not adhered to from the time of trial,” said Anna-Maria Arabia, chief executive of the Australian Academy of Science. “Make no mistake … without law reform, these sorts of miscarriages of justice will continue.
