Episode 41: The Unbelievable Story of Once-Convicted Serial Killer, Kathleen Folbigg

The Dark Oak

In 2003, Kathleen Folbigg became the most hated woman in Australia when she was convicted of murdering her four children ranging from only 19 days old to two years old.

The most damning evidence against her were her journals or what she called her "babble books." These journals detailed her daily life with her children and husband and became a critical piece of the prosecution's case. We will read several excerpts and you can decide - are they the ramblings of a stressed-out mother or the confessions of a killer?

Kathleen's case is made even more strange when in 2023, 20 years after her conviction, it was revealed that the children had rare genetic diseases that could have contributed toward their deaths. As a result, Kathleen was pardoned and exonerated of all of her crimes. But was this simply because of reasonable doubt or is she really an innocent woman?

You have to listen to believe this one.

Sources:

McDermott, Q. (2019, April 27). Kathleen Folbigg to give her version of what diary entries about her dead children meant. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-28/kathleen-folbigg-to-speak-to-inquiry-about-diary-entries/11051128

Baker, J. (2023, June 5). Brutal father, tragic children: Folbigg was doomed to trauma. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/brutal-father-tragic-children-folbigg-was-doomed-to-trauma-20230502-p5d4yn.html

De Vinuesa, C. G. (n.d.). Kathleen Folbigg’s children likely died of natural causes, not murder. Here’s the evidence my team found. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/kathleen-folbiggs-children-likely-died-of-natural-causes-not-murder-heres-the-evidence-my-team-found-156487

ABC News. (2023, June 5). Kathleen Folbigg’s tragic life started long before her babies died — now she is a free woman. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-05/kathleen-folbigg-free-but-tragic-life-started-before-baby-deaths/102440834

Bellamy, P. (n.d.). Damning Evidence — The Kathleen Folbigg Story - Australian woman who murdered her children — Crime Library. https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/women/folbigg/2.html

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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep