Who Trolled Amber? - Introducing...The Lab Detective

Episode Date: July 15, 2025

Introducing...The Lab DetectiveKathleen Folbigg experienced unimaginable loss. All four of her infant children died suddenly, over a 10-year period. Their deaths were unexplained. Until a police detective turned up at her door, and arrested Kathleen on suspicion of murder. She was labelled ‘Australia's worst female serial killer’, convicted, and was destined to spend most of the rest of her life in jail. Until a different type of detective entered her life. A scientist working in a lab who uncovered the truth behind the deaths. This is the story of a shocking miscarriage of justice, but as journalist Rachel Sylvester starts to investigate how this happened, she learns that Kathleen is not alone – other mothers have endured the same fate, and may also be in prison. The Lab Detective is a story about the power of science, and the determination of those searching for the truth.Episodes 1 and 2 will be available to listen on 22nd July.To listen to the full series on 22nd July, subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or download the Tortoise app.Reporters: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Gary MarshallExecutive editor: Basia Cummings Music supervisor: Karla Patella Sound design: Rowan Bishop Artwork: Lola Williams Fact checking: Ada Barume and Madeline Parr To find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [e-mail] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Observer It is something that will be with me for the rest of my life. I've always said I wouldn't want my worst enemies to ever go through this sort of stuff. Kathleen Folbig is a grieving mother at home in Australia when a police detective turns up at her door. As soon as I saw her, my face just dropped. You've got to be, you're not serious here. He's there to arrest her because over a 10 year period all four of her infant children have died out of the blue.

Any words of emergency? I need an ambulance. My baby's not breathing. What's your name? It's Kathy. Kathy. I need an ambulance. My baby's not breathing. What's your name? Kathy. At first, it looked like a tragic series of cot deaths,

the sudden, unexplained deaths of otherwise healthy children. But when her fourth child died, a daughter called Laura, sympathy turned to suspicion. Australia's worst female serial killer, Kathleen Folbyg... She was seen as this horrific monster who murdered her children. She was the most hated woman in Australia. For the past two decades, she's been where most people believe she belongs, behind bars.

But not everyone believed she belonged there. I've already said with this case, the devil's in the detail. Kathleen's best friend Tracy was convinced this was a terrible miscarriage of justice. And then lawyers, pediatricians and psychologists started to agree. They'd seen this happen before. The case against her relied on circumstantial evidence and something didn't feel right. In a world of several billion people, you can have really, really rare events happen. But they needed definitive proof.

Do you almost think of yourself as a detective rather than a doctor? It's a good question. Sometimes I think I would have liked to be a detective. Until finally, a different kind of detective enters Kathleen's life. A scientist called Corolla Venuesa. She's a geneticist who specialises in finding clues hidden away in the genes that all humans carry. Nobody wants to have on their watch a miscarriage of justice, right? And then I just remember calling Carola then and saying, well, it looks as if there may be something.

And she makes an extraordinary discovery that changes Kathleen's life. To be told we have actually found something. That was a big Eureka moment. But the thing is, Kathleen's story isn't the first of its kind, or the last. And what Corolla was telling me was that there's another case that needs to be investigated. Another mother convicted of murder just last year, when science could provide an answer. You know, scientists want to know the truth and want to get to the bottom of things. And particularly, you know, in a case like this where you feel there has been

a miscarriage of justice, right, and that science can solve it. So, I just couldn't stop. I'm Rachel Sylvester and from Tortoise Investigates, this is The Lab Detective. A story about how science can shape and reshape the law, and the mothers and scientists in search of the truth. The Lab Detective launches on Tuesday the 22nd of July. Follow the feed to make sure you don't miss an episode.

To listen to the entire series ad-free on the 22nd. Subscribe to The Observer Plus on Apple podcasts or Spotify, or download the Tortoise app.