Lucy Letby Accused of Cold-Blooded Baby Murders at Chester Hospital
Lucy Letby is at the centre of a chilling trial accused of killing seven babies and attempting to murder ten more in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The 32-year-old nurse denies all charges.
‘Extreme Example’ of Baby Murder
The death of one baby girl, known only as Child I, was described by the prosecution as an “extreme example even by the standards of this overall case.” At manchester-crown-court/" title="Manchester Crown Court" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Manchester Crown Court, prosecutor Nick Johnson KC told jurors:
“This is a case where we allege Lucy Letby attempted to kill her four times. (Child I) was tenacious, but on the fourth attempt, Lucy Letby succeeded and killed her.”
Letby is accused of deliberately injecting large amounts of air into Child I’s stomach through a nasogastric tube – one of several sinister methods she allegedly used on infants under her care.
Chronology of Tragedy
- The first attack on Child I occurred on September 30, 2015, just 30 minutes after Letby fed the baby.
- On October 13, a night-shift nurse spotted Child I pale and barely breathing. Despite a recovery, Letby was ironically made Child I’s designated nurse.
- Another collapse happened early on October 23, but the baby was revived and even showed signs of hunger.
- Minutes later, an alarm sounded. Letby was found standing by the incubator, stopping colleagues from intervening while the distressed infant deteriorated further.
Tragically, Child I later died. Her mother was allowed to bathe her and recalled Letby smiling in the room, saying how the baby “loved” her first bath.
Expert Findings and Police Questions
Medical experts concluded Child I’s multiple deteriorations matched deliberate air injections via the nasogastric tube, with a final injection into the bloodstream causing a fatal collapse.
Police questioned Letby about a sympathy card she sent to Child I’s grieving parents—an unusual move for a nurse. Letby admitted it was the only time she sent such a card, saying nurses rarely got to know families so well.
They also grilled her over Facebook searches for Child I’s parents and those of three other babies, which she couldn’t recall.
Cold Calculations of a Neonatal Nurse
Mr Johnson summed up the prosecution’s case:
“(Child I) was born very early and very small but was doing well by the time Lucy Letby cared for her. What happened followed a pattern seen before and after—a persistent, calculated, and cold-blooded campaign.”
A court order prevents identifying any surviving or deceased children or their families involved in the case.
Letby, originally from Hereford, continues to deny all accusations. The gripping trial is still underway.
