A neonatal nurse employed at a British hospital has been convicted of killing seven babies and attempting to kill six others. Lucy Letby, aged 33, was found guilty of murder in relation to the deaths of five baby boys and two girls, as well as the attempted murder of five boys and five girls. These incidents occurred during her tenure at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between 2015 and 2016. The prosecution alleged that Letby deliberately harmed the newborn infants through various methods, such as injecting air into their bloodstreams or administering air or milk through nasogastric tubes. She was also accused of poisoning infants by adding insulin to intravenous feeds and tampering with their breathing tubes.
Although Letby denied all charges, a jury consisting of seven women and four men deliberated for 22 days before reaching the verdict. One juror was excused due to personal reasons during deliberations, and the remaining 11 jurors were given the option to reach a verdict with a majority agreement instead of a unanimous decision. Letby was acquitted of one charge of attempted murder, and the jury was unable to reach a verdict on several others.
Letby displayed emotions throughout the trial and cried when the jury declared her guilty of two counts of attempted murder. She chose not to be present in the courtroom during the announcement of additional verdicts. Prosecutors stated that the hospital experienced a significant increase in infant deaths and sudden deteriorations in health during Letby’s time of duty at the neonatal unit. They characterized her as a “constant malevolent presence” during these incidents, suggesting that she harmed the infants in ways that left minimal traces and convinced colleagues that the collapses and deaths were normal.
The first baby Letby allegedly targeted was a premature boy who died within a day of his birth in June 2015. Prosecutors claimed that Letby injected air into his bloodstream. The police investigation into the baby deaths at the hospital began in May 2017, and Letby was subsequently arrested three times before being charged in November 2020. Prosecutors highlighted a Post-It note found at Letby’s home upon her arrest in 2018, on which she had written “I am evil, I did this,” considering it a confession.
Letby’s defense lawyer argued that she was a hardworking and caring nurse who enjoyed her job, and that there was insufficient evidence implicating her in any harmful acts. The lawyer proposed that the infants’ collapses and deaths could have been due to natural causes or other factors, such as staffing shortages or failures in providing adequate care. Letby herself testified for 14 days, maintaining her innocence and claiming that she only ever strived to provide the best care for the babies. She tearfully defended the collection of medical records she kept at home while caring for some of the infants.
The lawyer contended that the notes found were the distressed expressions of a woman who had lost confidence in herself and blamed herself for what had occurred in the ward. Letby had written phrases such as “I don’t deserve to live” and “I am a horrible evil person” on green Post-It notes.
This case has received significant attention due to its shocking nature and the impact it has had on the families involved. Letby’s conviction serves as a reminder of the importance of trust and accountability in healthcare settings, especially when caring for vulnerable newborns.
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