Kathleen Folbigg forced to sleep on friend’s couch two years after being freed from jail

Kathleen Folbigg spent 20 years behind bars for crimes she did not commit. Two years on, she says she is struggling both financially and emotionally.

Kathleen Folbigg has been forced to sleep on her friend’s couch, unable to secure herself a rental property and with no assistance from the NSW Government despite being unjustly locked up for two decades.

It’s been two years today since Ms Folbigg was released from prison having been locked up for murdering her three youngest children, Patrick, Sarah and Laura, and the manslaughter of her oldest child, Caleb, between 1989 and 1999.

In 2023 the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal overturned her convictions on all charges, accepting that new scientific evidence raised doubt over her guilt.

Ms Folbigg told news.com.au this week she is adapting to life outside, but the financial and emotional pressures have at times been overwhelming.

Kathleen Folbigg has been struggling financially and emotionally since being released from jail.

“I’ve moved back into Newcastle, returning back to where I went to high school and stuff but I just can’t find a rental, it’s so hard and I guess I’m single, have a dog, no job,” she said.

“I’ve been lucky enough that my friend has let me put my stuff in storage and sleep on the couch.

“It’s two years down the track so yeah I feel like things can be a bit of a struggle.”

Ms Folbigg’s legal team has had no word for a year from the NSW Government about her bid for compensation.

High-profile supporter, businessman Peter Yates told news.com.au the delay was “morally wrong”.

“Since she was released she has received not even a tissue, not one cent, not one dollar, not a care package, absolutely nothing,” Mr Yates said.

Kathleen Folbigg with NSW MPs Wes Fang, Mark Banasiak, Robert Borsak, and Stephen Lawrence on Thursday.

Kathleen folbigg at Parliament House with two vocal supporters Mark Rudder, left and Peter Yates.

“The NSW Government incarcerated her for 20 years, released her two years ago, pardoned her more than a year ago and they have not offered, provided or paid a single cent of compensation.

“Not even a thought of ‘here is some money to tie you over while we think about compensation’. It’s a slight on the NSW Government.

Ms Folbigg, Mr Yates and other supporters were having lunch at Parliament House in Sydney on Thursday to remind “both sides of politics” of Ms Folbigg’s plight.

Ms Folbigg with her baby daughter Sarah at her naming ceremony. Sarah died 30 Aug 1993.

Folbigg plans on spending her future advocating for others, and pushing for police departments to think of genetic testing as the “first stop not the last stop”.

Ms Folbigg’s daughter Laura.

Baby Caleb Folbigg.

“What happened to me could happen to anyone. I had an extremely rare condition that couldn’t be found until this genetic testing became available and what’s to say it won’t happen to someone else. It won’t be found until there is standard genetic testing,” she said.

“Genetic testing should be cheaper for anyone who wants to double check they don’t have something abnormal like I did, and in my case the worst happened.

“If you’re going to accuse a parent of harming a child, the first stop should be going down the genetic road, not the last stop which landed me in jail for 20 years.”

“My message is if zealous prosecutors and detectives target a person, and not have any actual proof, if you’re going to target a person we should stop and learn from the Folbigg case.”

Attorney-General Michael Daley told news.com.au the NSW Government is still considering an ex-gratia application made by Kathleen Folbigg.

Originally published as Kathleen Folbigg forced to sleep on friend’s couch two years after being freed from jail