Australia: Mother Convicted of Killing Children Pardoned After 20 Years

Facts

On Monday, an Australian mother who spent 20 years in prison for the deaths of her offspring was pardoned and released from her Grafton prison cell after a landmark inquiry concluded there was reasonable doubt about the guilty verdict.¹
Kathleen Folbigg, now 55, was jailed in 2003 on three charges of murder and one of manslaughter after all four of her children – aged between 19 days and 18 months – died separately between 1989 and 1999.²
However, based on new scientific evidence that reportedly suggests Folbigg's two daughters had a rare genetic variant while her son had an underlying neurological disorder, a new inquiry concluded there was nothing to show that she "was anything but a caring mother."³
While Folbigg's ex-husband still believes she's guilty of murdering their children, citing her past diary entries as an admission of guilt, the inquiry noted the evidence suggests "they were the writings of a grieving and possibly depressed mother."⁴
Though Folbigg has always maintained her innocence, previous appeals and a separate 2019 inquiry into the case found no grounds for reasonable doubt, as they gave greater importance to circumstantial evidence in her original trial.⁵
The unconditional pardon could pave the way for her to obtain potentially millions in compensation, either after a civil suit or through an ex-gratia payment by the government. The case must be referred to the Court of Criminal Appeal to formally quash her convictions.⁶

Narrative A, as provided by Sky News. The pardoning and releasing of Folbigg deliver a resounding message that Australia's judicial system is fully capable of serving justice, demonstrating that the rule of law is a cornerstone of the country's democracy.
Narrative B, as provided by The Conversation. The Folbigg case is just the latest miscarriage of justice to be acknowledged in Australia, reinforcing the need to establish a statutory body to investigate wrongful conviction claims instead of relying on inefficient and expensive ad hoc commissions of inquiry.