Archive · 7 Aug 2025
Australia Offers $1.3M to Woman Wrongly Jailed for Two Decades
Kathleen Folbigg was wrongly sent to jail for 20 years because people thought she killed her babies.
But later, experts found a new reason why the babies died.
The government of New South Wales has decided to give her $1.31 million because of this mistake.
However, her lawyer says this amount is not enough because of all the pain she went through.
She was called mean names and lost a big part of her life due to the conviction.
New South Wales offered Kathleen Folbigg $1.31 million in compensation.
Folbigg was wrongly jailed for 20 years for the deaths of her four children.
An independent inquiry found her children could have died from natural causes.
Folbigg's lawyer called the compensation unfair, citing the pain and suffering.
Folbigg was convicted in 2003, but later pardoned and freed in 2023.
- Who
- Kathleen Folbigg and the New South Wales government.
- What
- New South Wales offered Kathleen Folbigg compensation for wrongful imprisonment.
- When
- The offer was made on Thursday, July 2024.
- Where
- New South Wales, Australia.
- Why
- To compensate for her wrongful conviction and imprisonment.
Kathleen Folbigg's Position
Government's Position
Compensation Appropriateness
Kathleen Folbigg's Position
The compensation is profoundly unfair and unjust, not reflecting the pain and suffering.
Government's Position
The government has made an ex-gratia payment after extensive consideration.
- Compensation Amount
- $1.31 million (A$2 million)
- Wrongful Conviction
- Murder and manslaughter
- Duration of Imprisonment
- 20 years
- Reason for Conviction
- Deaths of her four young children
- Cause of Death
- Natural causes or genetic mutation
- Year of Initial Conviction
- 2003
- Year of Freedom
- 2023