Case 338: The Folbigg Children (Part 1/2)
Married couple Craig and Kathleen Folbigg wanted nothing more than to be parents. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Kathleen gave birth to four children - Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura - but tragically, none of them survived past their second birthdays. While each death was initially attributed to natural causes, the question started to emerge - had Kathleen done something to harm her children?
Team:
Anonymous Host - narration
Elsha McGill - research, writing
Mike Migas - production, music
Anthony Telfer - audio editing
Comments (26)
This (and the Azaria Chamberlain) case made my blood boil... poor Kathy
Men who don't take on any of the burden of sleep deprivation as fathers are fully to blame for the mental state of their partners, and in turn the safety of their children.
Interesting, crazy case. Haunting score as a perfect backdrop, Mike.
I don’t know how to feel about this one, and I do know of the case.
Me too - I remember it well, from growing up in Oz, and assumed she was guilty. But then the scientists came out with new findings … it’s tricky and also puts many other SIDS cases in doubt
This one is heartbreaking. I'm sure some of us have family that had something similar happen (though not often the arrest part) and I can't imagine how scary this would be to live through. 💔
Hasn’t this case been covered by case file already ?
Sounds oddly familiar
I feel like having more babies and getting back together repeatedly to “work on their marriage” was not the right move. Also - if I were in a position where my children kept dying suddenly for seemingly no reason I would stop having biological children
Wow, absolutely heartbreaking. Shocking to me I had never heard of this and I grew up in Mayfield and still only live a few suburbs away. I’ve spent a lot of time in Thornton and Singleton too. Even more shocking when these things happen in your backyard.
I'm familiar with this story but man, as a first-time mom to an 8 month old, this one really gutted me. I can't even imagine the grief
Literally thought my wife wrote this. Her name is Kim, and we have an 8 month old.
Why would the husband sleep through the night leaving her to care for the babies on her own? I don’t care if he had a job it’s called being a parent and a partner.
Absolutely gutted, gotti wait a whole wk for 2nd part sad
"They even gave her a shot of adrenaline in an attempt to kickstart--" NOT NOW NIKKI SIXX! [irregardless of whether or not this woman did this, or she had control over herself if she did, I feel like after the third tragedy she'd be like, "you know what, maybe having babies is not for me." After *two* runs at parenting and resenting having to do it alone and having to give up so much independence, you'd think maybe she'd think back and go "you know what, maybe trying to care for an infant is not for me." I do not have children, will never have children, have never wanted to have children and regard other people's desire to and delight from having children the same way I view people who go to India to 'find themselves' (that sounds expensive and not worth it but go for it and I hope you have a great time), but like, get a plant. Start out with a spider plant and work your way up to orchids. Lookit you! Caring for something! And if you mess up somehow and end up with no more orchid, no one shows up to arrest you.]
OK thanks.
Craig should of learned to help with night feedings after the first baby
This is one of the most disturbing, sickening cases Casefile has ever covered. It’s truly impossible to wrap my head around harming your own children. PP mental health disorders are real but holy f*** STOP having babies or GET HELP!
I’d wait til part two is out before you write comments like this. I am familiar with this case - it is nuanced and not as it seems at face value. A devastating loss of four beautiful babies 💔
Has anyone listened to The Lab Detective podcast on this case?
Ok i just feel like after 3 dead babies, someone’s gotta step and be like, okay that’s enough
What did she say to the operator in the intro ? I can’t understand. Sounds like «I had three go already» or «I had three girl already»? What does that mean?
I had three go already. Three children dead already I assume.
Damn didn’t expect the second case to be a strong one either, or a multi parter!
I trust there will be no one here trying to challenge the final outcome.
Re-reading, I overstated my case here. People can have their doubts, but I hope no one makes a definitive assertion that the final outcome is the wrong one.