Some 90 prominent scientists, including Nobel laureates and other leading Australian and international researchers, have called for convicted child murderer Kathleen Folbigg to be pardoned and released from jail.

This evidence was not available at the time of Folbigg’s conviction in 2003. Instead, she was convicted of smothering her children. She remains in jail and maintains her innocence.

I was one of the scientists who published the genetic evidence behind this week’s petition to pardon Folbigg, which I signed. I was also an unpaid expert witness in the recent judicial inquiry into her conviction.

Here is what our genetic analysis found. Here is also what I learned from my experience as a first-time expert witness.