Kathleen Folbigg ‘not guilty’ of killing her four kids, scientist says

A blood specialist who helped in the Lindy and Azaria Chamberlain case believes convicted killer Kathleen Folbigg should be pardoned over the deaths of her children.

The scientist who was instrumental in the acquittal of Lindy Chamberlain believes convicted killer Kathleen Folbigg should be exonerated over the deaths of her four children.

Professor Barry Boettcher, a retired blood specialist who revealed bloodstains found in the Azaria Chamberlain case were not human, has exclusively told The Sunday Telegraph that Attorney-General Mark Speakman should intervene and ­declare Folbigg “not guilty” of killing her children.

Prof Boettcher joins the growing chorus of more than 150 medical and scientific experts, including three Nobel Prize laureates, calling for the release of Folbigg, who is serving a 30-year prison sentence following her convictions in 2003 for murdering three of her children, Patrick, Sarah and Laura, and for the manslaughter of her firstborn Caleb.

More than 12 months ago Folbigg’s legal team lodged a petition calling for her to be pardoned and released after the discovery that she and her two girls Sarah and Laura carried a genetic mutation known as CALM2 G114R, a pathogenic which can cause disease and infections.

At the time of their deaths both girls had infections – Sarah a respiratory infection and Laura both a respiratory infection and a heart infection – and infections are known triggers of cardiac arrests.

A younger Kathleen Folbigg before she was sentenced for 30 years over the deaths of her four children. Picture: James Knowler

Kathleen Folbigg appears via video link during an inquiry at the NSW Coroners Court in 2019. Picture: AAP/Joel Carrett

Prof Boettcher said the new scientific evidence providing a genetic basis for the deaths of Ms Folbigg’s two daughters meant there was reasonable doubt she killed the children, and those ­infections may have triggered a cardiac arrest.

“The evidence that has been obtained since the trial casts more than a reasonable doubt that Kathleen Folbigg was responsible for the deaths of her children and therefore, she should be pardoned,” he said.

“It should be recognised on this occasion that a wrong decision has been reached by the court and when it’s shown to be a wrong decision then the Attorney-General should step in and he should reverse the ­decision in some way.

“There is now very definitely reasonable doubt about the cause of deaths of these children and under these circumstances, he should ­declare Kathleen Folbigg not guilty.”

Folbigg was tried on all four deaths at the same time. The prosecution relied on an outdated and discredited hypothesis known as “Meadow’s Law” which says “one ­infant death is a tragedy, the second two is suspicious, and the third is murder, until proven otherwise”.

This hypothesis was discredited in the successful acquittal of Sally Clark in the UK, convicted of killing her two children, prior to Folbigg’s trial.

Kathleen Folbigg with her baby daughter Sarah, who died in 1993.

Kathleen Folbigg with daughter Laura, who underwent a sleep study.

Professor Caroline Blackwell, a ­microbiologist whose work led to the acquittal of Sally Clark, is also backing calls for Folbigg’s release.

Prof Blackwell gave evidence at a 2019 inquiry into Folbigg’s conviction and recently backed the petition for pardon.

“I was shocked that Ms Folbigg was even charged because there was no evidence of smothering,” Prof Blackwell said.

“The new genetic evidence is strong and unchallenged by anyone; this should have been the wake-up call the NSW legal system heeded to release an innocent woman.”

Folbigg’s solicitor Rhanee Rego said seeking a pardon offers the Attorney-General a chance to “rectify immediately an egregious miscarriage of justice and release a grieving mother”.

“Whilst pardons are rare, they are an established legal mechanism which has historically been used to release innocent people when other avenues have failed. After many failed attempts at having the truth heard, Lindy Chamberlain had to be pardoned to achieve her immediate release. We are asking for the same to be done here.”

The 2019 inquiry heard the children all had illnesses prior to their death: Caleb, after a traumatic birth by forceps, was diagnosed with a ‘floppy larynx’ and had trouble breathing and swallowing simultaneously; Patrick an epileptic attack at four months of age which left him blind and having seizures for the remaining four months of his life; Sarah and Laura both had respiratory infections which were being treated with medication just prior to their deaths.