Teal MP Monique Ryan to lead experts in Folbigg hearing

Monique Ryan will join a line-up of more than a dozen experts who will give evidence at an inquiry that could overturn the conviction of child killer Kathleen Folbigg.

Independent MP Monique Ryan. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Teal independent MP Monique Ryan will join a line-up of more than a dozen scientific experts who will give evidence at an inquiry that could overturn the conviction of child killer Kathleen Folbigg.

Dr Ryan, a paediatric neurologist who defeated former treasurer Josh Frydenberg in the seat of Kooyong at the last election, previously gave evidence at a 2019 inquiry into the conviction and will take the stand again on February 21, according to a hearing schedule.

Dr Ryan wrote a report for the 2019 inquiry into the death of one of Folbigg’s sons, Patrick, who died at eight months old, and gave evidence at the first inquiry that a medical episode the infant suffered at four months may have been an undiagnosed epileptic episode that had an unknown genetic basis.

The report said only next-generation DNA sequencing could uncover the “possible genetic epileptic encephalopathy or cardiac genetic condition” that left Patrick blind and wracked by seizures at the end of his life.

Folbigg was convicted in 2003 of smothering four of her children, Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura, but new genetic evidence that she and her daughters carried a rare mutation linked to heart irregularities has raised the possibility they died from natural causes.

The second tranche of the inquiry will begin on Monday with Danish genetics experts Michael Toft Overgaard and Mette Nyegaard to return to give further evidence after they revealed they had made a “significant discovery” regarding the gene that carried the mutation, called calmodulin.

They will be followed by scientists Carola Vinuesa and Todor Arsov, who together found the novel variant in the calmodulin or CALM2 gene; medical expert Matthew Cook; expert in the genetics of cardiac arrhythmias Peter Schwartz; and forensic medicine expert Stephen Cordner.

Also scheduled to give evidence is Newcastle pathologist Allan Cala, who performed the autopsy on Laura Folbigg and has come under sustained criticism by Kathleen’s supporters for declaring the cause of the toddler’s death “undetermined” despite finding evidence of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart.

Paediatric cardiologist Jonathan Skinner has been dropped from the witness list after he was initially scheduled to give evidence in the first section of the inquiry in November.

The two weeks of scheduled hearings were cut short after just two days when professors Overgaard and Nyegaard told the inquiry they had made a new link between calcium levels, calmodulin and a type of membrane protein called sodium channels that needed more investigation.

The second part of the hearing will now include previously unheard genetic and scientific evidence as well as psychological evidence, including on incriminating diary entries described as holding “virtual admissions” from Folbigg.

Clinical psychologist Patrick Sheehan and forensic psychiatrist Kerri Eagle are expected to provide new evidence on the diaries, according to sources close to the inquiry.

Inquiry chair and former NSW Supreme Court chief justice Tom Bathurst granted a sweeping non-publication order prohibiting the contents of a half-hour directions hearing held last Friday from being ­reported.