Could new scientific evidence release Kathleen Folbigg from prison? – Cosmos

by | Dec 5, 2022 | Engineer

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Cosmos » Podcast » Could new scientific evidence release Kathleen Folbigg from prison?

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Kathleen Folbigg has been in prison for nearly 20 years.
In 2003, she was convicted of murdering her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura and of the manslaughter of her son Caleb. 
She has always maintained her innocence and a forensic pathologist in a 2015 review found there had been “no signs of smothering”.
Over the last 10 years, understanding of human genetics has uncovered rare mutations that Folbigg has passed down to her children.
An inquiry into her convictions in 2019 found this evidence insufficient, but a further petition from Australia’s leading scientists led to a second inquiry commencing this year.
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At that inquiry, new evidence from two leading Danish researchers was presented, which could prove critical to her case. 
Read more on the Folbigg inquiry
On this episode of The Science Briefing, Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Matthew Agius about the Kathleen Folbigg case, what these new findings are and if this game-changing science could rewrite the Folbigg story.
The Science Briefing is a LiSTNR production
Originally published by Cosmos as Could new scientific evidence release Kathleen Folbigg from prison?
Matthew Agius is a science writer for Cosmos Magazine.
Dr Sophie Calabretto is a mathematician specialising in fluid mechanics. She is Honorary Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University and Honorary Associate Professor, at the ACE Research Group, University of Leicester.
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