Damned By Her Diary: The Tale of Kathleen Folbigg "Australia's Most Hated Woman"
In 2003, Kathleen Folbigg became known as "Australia's most hated woman" after being convicted of killing her four children. 20 years later, new evidence emerged which cast doubt on her guilt
Background
Convicted of murdering three of her children and causing the death of a fourth, Kathleen Folbigg became known as “Australia’s most hated woman.” After serving 20 years in prison, new evidence emerged that cast doubts about her guilt.
Early Life
A tragic story with a tragic beginning, Kathleen Folbigg was born on 14th June 1967 to parents Thomas John Britton and Kathleen May Donovan. When Kathleen was just 18 months old, her father brutally murdered her mother, stabbing her 24 times. However, Kathleen was not made aware of this until 1984.
A History of Violence
On a December evening in 1969, Thomas John Britton confronted his wife, Kathleen Donavan, outside her home in Sydney and stabbed her 24 times.
At his trial six months later, a woman who witnessed the murder testified that after Thomas had brutally murdered Kathleen, he knelt down and kissed her, saying: "I'm sorry, darling. I had to do it." According to the witness, Thomas turned to her and said, "I had to kill her because she'd kill my child."
Britton was convicted of murder and sent to prison, where he served 15 years before he was deported to England.
Foster Care and Adoption
Following her father’s arrest and her mother’s death, Kathleen was made a ‘ward of the state’ and placed into foster care, before being placed into Bidura Children’s Home. Not only had Kathleen not been made aware of the murder of her mother, she was also not told that she was ‘a ward of the state’ and believed she had always been adopted.
In September 1970, Kathleen was adopted and moved into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Marlborough. Unfortunately, these were not happy years for Kathleen. Whilst being adopted by the family, Diedre Malborough did not treat her well, often treating her as a slave and forbidding her to spend time with her friends.
Kathleen attended Kotara High School but left at the age of 15 due to her home life becoming unbearable.
Marriage
Like many young people with a limited education and nowhere to go, she had no choice but to work several low-paying jobs. She eventually met her husband, a steelworker named Craig Folbigg.
The pair married in September 1987, when Kathleen was 20 and Craig 25. They found a home in Mayfield, a suburb of Newcastle, an hour's drive north of Sydney.
A year later, in February of 1989, Kathleen gave birth to their first son, Caleb, who was described as ‘full term and healthy’. Kathleen took her son home five days later. One morning, whilst feeding him at home, she noticed he was having some difficulty breathing.
Kathleen took him to the hospital, and he was diagnosed as having a ‘lazy larynx’.
A Disturbing Pattern
On February 19, 1989, at 8 p.m., Kathleen put Caleb to sleep. At 2:50 a.m., Craig was awoken by his wife's frantic screams. He ran to his son’s room and saw Kathleen standing over the crib, hysterically screaming, "My baby, something is wrong with my baby."