Kathleen Folbigg's Compensation Offer Called "Inadequate" by Her Lawyer

Kathleen Folbigg, wrongfully imprisoned for 20 years, has been granted a compensation offer of A$2 million, which her legal team deems highly insufficient. The case has highlighted systemic injustices and raised questions about the adequacy of wrongful conviction compensations in Australia.

Kathleen Folbigg, once labeled “Australia's worst mother,” is being offered a mere A$2 million compensation for her wrongful imprisonment, a sum that her lawyer describes as “profoundly unfair.” After serving 20 years, Folbigg was cleared of killing her four infants, with new genetic evidence suggesting they may have died from rare conditions. The decision to grant her this amount has sparked significant debate among legal experts, who expected a payout closer to A$10 million or even A$20 million.

In 2003, Folbigg was convicted based on circumstantial evidence indicating she smothered her children, but a recent inquiry found compelling proof of natural causes behind the deaths. The disparity in compensation rates for wrongful convictions is drawing scrutiny; for context, Lindy Chamberlain received A$1.7 million for a shorter duration in prison. Folbigg's legal representatives are asserting that the offered amount fails to acknowledge the substantial suffering inflicted on her during two decades of wrongful incarceration.