Australia acquits woman who spent 20 years in prison accused of killing her four children

MADRID, 14 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Court of Appeal of New South Wales acquitted this Thursday Kathleen Folbigg, sentenced to prison in 2003 for the death of her four children, after this year the court ordered her pardon and release due to "reasonable doubts" about his guilt.

The court, chaired by the president of the Supreme Court, Andrew Bell, handed down the sentence this Thursday in the ceremonial court in Sydney, with the presence of Folbigg, his lawyer, Rhanee Rego, and several dozen followers, who applauded the decision. . Now the New South Wales government has the possibility of making an 'ex gratia' payment as compensation.

After the annulment of the conviction, Folbigg, who spent 20 years in prison, has assured that she should never have been imprisoned and that "the system preferred to" blame her "rather than accept that sometimes children can die and, in fact, die suddenly and unexpectedly," he said in statements reported by the Australian television network ABC.

"I hoped and prayed that one day I could be here with my name cleared. (...) I hope that no one else has to suffer what I suffered. I am grateful that science and genetics have given me answers about how my friends died. children. However, even in 1999 we had legal answers to prove my innocence that were ignored."

Folbigg, 56, was convicted of allegedly killing three of her children, and of involuntary manslaughter of her first-born, between 1989 and 1999. The babies were between 19 days and 19 months old. The accused has always maintained her innocence, ensuring that all of her children died of natural causes. The review of this case has taken place after scientific research pointed to a possible genetic mutation that causes lethal arrhythmias.