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The Observer

Introducing...The Lab Detective

Kathleen 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.

The first 3 episodes are available to listen now.

To listen to the full series now, subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or download the Tortoise app.

Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute for sharing recordings and insights. 

You can watch a short documentary on the genomics team behind Kathleen Folbigg's case filmed at the Crick.

Reporters: Rachel Sylvester 

Producer: Gary Marshall

Executive 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 content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who Trolled Amber? | Tortoise Investigates

Chloe hears from a former teacher who seems to support what Gareth believes - that there was a cover-up. And it’s still going on today.

You can find out more about Tortoise:

Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com

Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall

Sound design: Hannah Varrall

Podcast artwork: Lola Williams

Executive producer: Basia Cummings

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The school | Lucky Boy Ep3

Gareth is convinced that his memories are true and that there are plenty of witnesses who can corroborate his story, so why will no one help him? 

You can find out more about Tortoise:

Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com

Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall

Sound design: Hannah Varrall

Podcast artwork: Lola Williams

Executive producer: Basia Cummings

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The relationship | Lucky Boy Ep2

Sally Anne Bowen doesn’t want to speak about her relationship with Gareth, but it turns out there is a way of hearing her version of events. And after months of searching, Chloe gets a message from another ‘lucky boy’. 

You can find out more about Tortoise:

Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com

Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall

Sound design: Hannah Varrall

Podcast artwork: Lola Williams

Executive producer: Basia Cummings

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucky Boys | Lucky Boy Ep4

Neil Gaiman faces a lawsuit in the United States. The first woman to come forward and accuse the best-selling author of sexual assault has filed a complaint against him and his estranged wife, Amanda Palmer. In this episode she explains why she’s taking action. Neil Gaiman denies the allegations and says he has ‘never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.’

Reporter: Rachel Johnson

Producer: Katie Gunning

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Lola Williams

Editor: Jasper Corbett

Published: 18/02/2025

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The lawsuit | Master Ep 7

Gareth’s whole life has been defined by a relationship he had 35 years ago when, as a 14-year-old schoolboy, he fell in love with an attractive young teacher at his school. He spent most afternoons in her bedroom and thought he was the luckiest boy in the world. But when she walked out of his life everything started to unravel. 

Lucky Boy is a new four-part series in which Chloe Hadjimatheou asks who gets to be a perpetrator and a victim.

You can find out more about Tortoise:

Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com

Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall

Sound design: Hannah Varrall

Podcast artwork: Lola Williams

Executive producer: Basia Cummings

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing...Lucky Boy

Gareth spent years believing he was a lucky boy. He was the 14-year-old who got the attention of the attractive young science teacher. Now, decades later, he wants the truth to come out about the damage it’s caused him. But his story is not straight forward. 

You can find out more about Tortoise:

Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists

Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more

If 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com

Reported and produced by: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Gary Marshall 

Sound design: Hannah Varrall

Podcast artwork: Lola Williams 

Executive producer: Basia Cummings

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gareth | Lucky Boy Ep1

When Lucky Boy launched back in March, there was an important detail that didn't make it into the podcast, for legal reasons: the team had discovered that they weren’t the only people who had been investigating the allegations made by Gareth - the Metropolitan Police had been too. 

Now, reporter Chloe Hadjimatheou has an update.

To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com 

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An update on the story | Lucky Boy

Introducing...The Lab Detective

Kathleen 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.

The first two episodes are available to listen now.

To listen to the full series now, subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or download the Tortoise app.

Reporters: Rachel Sylvester 

Producer: Gary Marshall

Executive editor: Basia Cummings 

Music supervisor: Karla Patella 

Sound design: Rowan Bishop 

Artwork: Lola Williams 

Fact checking: Ada Barume and Madeline Parr

Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute for sharing recordings and insights.

Watch a short documentary on the genomics team behind Kathleen Folbigg's case filmed at the Crick

To find out more about The Observer:

Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content

Head to our website observer.co.uk 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If 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 hello@tortoisemedia.com

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing...The Lab Detective

Journalist Rachel Sylvester investigates the case of 'Australia's worst serial killer'. And discovers, in a story about mothers who have been accused of murdering their own children, there is one man who connects them all: a doctor called Roy Meadow.

Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute for sharing recordings and insights. 

Reporter: Rachel Sylvester

Producer: Gary Marshall

Music supervisor: Karla Patella

Sound design: Rowan Bishop

Podcast artwork: Lola Williams

Executive producer: Basia Cummings

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three is murder | The Lab Detective Ep1

Kathleen Folbigg is just trying to survive. She’s a grieving mother, sentenced to life in jail for killing her four infant children. That is, until a small group of people start to question whether she might be the victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice.

Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute for sharing recordings and insights. 

Reporter: Rachel Sylvester

Producer: Gary Marshall

Music supervisor: Karla Patella

Sound design: Rowan Bishop

Podcast artwork: Lola Williams

Executive producer: Basia Cummings

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The eureka moment | The Lab Detective Ep2

When Global Witness out Rob in 2015, things quickly fall apart. He loses everything that matters to him but to this day he believes that if his voice had been heard, it would have all worked out differently. 

Listen to the full series today. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to all our investigative series and daily and weekly shows, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.

If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The verge | Into the Dirt Ep 5

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