Confirmation of a likely genetic cause for the children’s deaths has implications far beyond Australia for parents who have been accused of killing or harming their babies.
The advances in genetic testing used to free Folbigg are giving other families hope that science may explain why their children have died, but experts say sometimes even that can’t exonerate parents – often mothers – accused of harming them.
How the science is helping othersOne of the lead authors of the study, Professor Carola Vinuesa, says that Folbigg’s case has encouraged other families and lawyers to come forward, seeking genetic evidence to clear mothers accused of harming their babies.
Some mothers accused of injuring their children are seeking a genetic explanation for their symptoms to counter claims of child abuse, she said.
“The majority of these mothers have not harmed their children, but the children have these very rare conditions.
Persons:
Australia CNN — Kathleen Folbigg, Folbigg, seeped, don’t languish, ” Folbigg, –, Kathleen Folbigg, Caleb, Patrick, Sarah, Laura, Folbigg’s, Craig, Emma Cunliffe, ”, Cunliffe, Roy Meadow, ” Cunliffe, Sharmila Betts, Betts, there’s, Reginald Blanch, she’d, – Caleb, Patrick –, Tom Bathurst, Carola Vinuesa, I’ve, we’ve, Meadow, Francis Crick, Carola Vinuesa's, Michael Bowles, Helen Hayward, Brown, “ It’s, Hayward, they’ve, aren’t, George W Bush, Tracy Chapman, she’s, Chapman, “ I’ve, We’ve, “, ” Chapman, Stringer, Rhanee Rego, Andrew Dyer, Dyer, Michael Daley, Mr Bathurst, Mark Dreyfus, I’ll
Organizations:
Australia CNN, New South, CNN, ” Police, University of British Columbia’s Allard School of Law, “, NSW, BSN, ABC, Child, Francis Crick Institute, Concorde, MySpace, Reuters, Australian Academy of Science, Law Council, Sydney Institute of Criminology, Australian Lawyers Alliance
Locations:
Brisbane, Australia, New South Wales, British, United Kingdom, Canada, London, United States, Iraq, Coffs Harbour , New South Wales, Reuters Bathurst, Scotland, Norway, New Zealand