It was June 2023 when Kathleen Folbigg was pardoned and released from jail after spending two decades wrongly imprisoned over the deaths of her four children.
The NSW mum – once branded “Australia’s worst mother” – had languished in prison since being convicted of the murder of Patrick, eight months, Sarah, 10 months, and Laura, 18 months, and the manslaughter of newborn Caleb, in May 2003.
The deaths had occurred over a 10-year period between 1989 and 1999, and Kathleen had always maintained her innocence.
But remained locked up until a judicial review found the babies may have died of a genetic condition, leading the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal to overturn her convictions on all charges.
However, as she tried to forge a new life outside prison, Kathleen found it a challenge.
“I’ve moved back into Newcastle, returning back to where I went to high school and stuff but I just can’t find a rental, it’s so hard and I guess I’m single, have a dog, no job,” she told news.com.au in June 2025.
“I’ve been lucky enough that my friend has let me put my stuff in storage and sleep on the couch.”
Two months later, it emerged she had received a compensation offer of $2 million – a figure Kathleen’s lawyer Rhanee Rego described as “profoundly unfair and unjust”.
“The system has failed Kathleen Folbigg once again. Kathleen lost her four children; she lost 20 of the best years of her life; and she continues to feel the lasting effects of this ongoing trauma,” the lawyer said in a statement.
A new chapter
Now, just six months later, it appears things are finally looking up for Kathleen, 58, with confirmation she’s in love with a childhood friend, Bob Muir, and engaged to be married.
“While both of us weren’t anticipating love would enter our lives, we are thrilled it has,” Kathleen told the Daily Telegraph, adding it was a “lovely, beautiful surprise” to be reunited with him after 46 years.
Bob, meanwhile, told news.com.au he was thrilled to be marrying the woman he “gels with”.
“All I can say is we are so similar in our tastes, ordering spaghetti as we chat with you, the way we view things, the similarities, we are very, very similar,” Bob told the outlet as the pair dined at a restaurant.
“We find it is comfortable. We have known each other since we were 11.”
The wedding is planned for August 2026, but it’s emerged there is one former confidante of Kathleen’s who won’t be there – a friend called Meghan.
The duo had a falling out after Meghan – who advocated for Kathleen’s prison release for 20 years – took issue with Kathleen’s claims to the media that she was homeless.
She shared text messages which purported to show Kathleen had admitted “the story was exaggerated”.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Meghan has not received an invite to the wedding, and insisted she “does not want one”.
Kathleen responded to the claims, telling the outlet, “It has been incredibly distressing to see a long term friend publicly share private conversations and make allegations about me that are not true.”
Bob, meanwhile, defended his fiancee, telling news.com.au, “Friends have turned on her, she is caught up in the continual cycle of negativity and she deserves to be happy.”
