Matthew Benns - When The Bough Breaks: The True Story Of Child Killer Kathleen Folbigg

H ER MOTHERS GROWL of rage and frustration made 19-month-old Laura Folbigg drop to the kitchen floor in terror. She could not move. She was shaking and sobbing.

I cant handle her when shes like this! screamed Mummy.

If only Laura could get to Daddy. He had come running down the hall and was standing on the other side of the kitchen. Frozen to the spot as well. Mummy had been pinning Lauras arms down in the highchair and telling her to eat her breakfast. But she did not want to eat. She was not hungry. And that made Mummy mad.

Now Daddy was coming. He scooped her up in his arms and headed down the hall to the bedroom. She felt safe now. It was nice being cuddled by Daddy.

Mummies and daddies argue but it doesnt mean they dont love you, he cooed.

They were sitting on the bed. It felt safe. He smelled nice. But then Mummy came to the bedroom door.

Give me that baby, she demanded.

Just fuck off, replied Daddy.

You give me that baby and get ready for work. Get out. You make her behave like this. This is your fault! cried Mummy.

Ouch! Mummy grabbed hold of Lauras arm while Daddy still held her on his lap. He was upset and angry now too.

Kath, just let her go. Just leave her. Piss off, said Daddy. You look like youre going to punch somebody.

If Im going to punch anybody itll be you. Just give me that bloody baby, snarled Mummy.

Daddy let go and Mummy carried her away.

Then Daddy left for work.

And Laura died.

I N 1988 C RAIG AND K ATHY Folbigg were happy. They had been married for a year, had their own small house in the Newcastle working-class suburb of Mayfield, and Craig had a good job as a car valuer. They both wanted to become parents and have a family. All they needed to make their lives complete was a baby.

Craig had first met Kathy Marlborough when she was in her late teens and working as a waitress at an Indian restaurant. She had left Kotara High School at the age of 15 to work at the checkout of a local service station. Friends from her high-school days recall a quiet, unremarkable student who had the usual circle of girlfriends.

Craig was a confident car fanatic, six years Kathys senior. The first time he saw Kathy he thought she was sexy and sassy and he fell for her hard. They went out together drinking, dancing and having fun. They dated through 1985, and in January 1986 Kathy moved in with Craig. After becoming engaged in August 1986, they bought their Mayfield house in May 1987. Craig felt he had a home again for the first time since he was 15, at which time his mother had died of a cerebral haemorrhage, aged only 43. His father had later remarried but the death of his mother left Craig longing for a home of his own a craving that was only satisfied when he met Kathy. He invested a deep love in her that may have blinded him to some of her shortcomings.

In August 1987 they were married. Kathy was 20; Craig was 25. Their wedding photograph shows a young couple full of love and hope. Kathy is beaming, her eyes fixed on Craig, her face alight with happiness. Her full-toothed smile is irrepressible. Craig is looking down at Kathys ring, attempting to suppress a grin that suggests he feels like the cat that got the cream. It was probably one of the happiest days of Craigs life thus far.

In May 1988, the Folbiggs wish for a baby was granted when Kathy fell pregnant. Craig and Kathy did all the things expectant parents enjoy: setting up the babys bedroom together and buying things to welcome the new addition to their family.

Caleb Gibson Folbigg was born on 1 February 1989 at the Western Suburbs Maternity Hospital at Waratah in Newcastle. It was a long labour of nearly 18 hours and Kathy needed an epidural before the baby was finally delivered with forceps. The baby boy was fit and healthy. His Apgar score which checks the babys heartbeat, breathing, muscle tone, reflexes and colour one minute after birth and five minutes after birth was good. Baby Caleb was taken and placed in a humidicrib for a few hours to recover from the birth and then reunited with his mother. Kathy was exhausted but happy. The epidural had caused her a few problems so she stayed in hospital with Caleb for five days. It took her a month to start walking comfortably again.

Craig found his wife happy to be a mum, although she was unwilling to breastfeed Caleb because she found it uncomfortable. Her distress and discomfort seemed to rub off on the baby. But after the nurses explained the benefits of breastfeeding to the new parents Kathy made another attempt to get Caleb to breastfeed.