British nurse Lucy Letby has been declared guilty of the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of six others during her time at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England. This harrowing series of crimes occurred between June 2015 and June 2016, sending shockwaves through the medical community and the nation.
While Letby was acquitted of two attempted murder charges, the jury faced difficulties reaching unanimous decisions on six other counts after more than 110 hours of deliberation. The verdict was delivered after an extensive 10-month trial at Manchester Crown Court, marking Letby as the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history.
Letby’s tenure as a nurse in the hospital’s neonatal unit became a dark chapter in the institution’s history. The timeline of her crimes reveals a disturbing pattern:
- Murder of Child A – June 8, 2015: Born prematurely, Child A’s health declined rapidly under Letby’s care, leading to his death within 90 minutes.
- Attempted murder of Child B – June 8-11, 2015: Letby injected air into Child B, who survived after receiving resuscitation.
- Murder of Child C – June 14, 2015: A premature baby, Child C, tragically died due to an air injection administered by Letby.
- Murder of Child D – June 22, 2015: Letby injected air into Child D’s bloodstream, causing multiple collapses before a fatal outcome.
Letby’s disturbing actions prompted concerns within the medical team, with Dr. Stephen Brearey initiating reviews in the face of the unusual deaths.
- Murder of Child E – August 4, 2015: Child E, a preterm baby, fell victim to Letby’s actions as his mother discovered her in the act.
- Attempted Murder of Child F – August 5, 2015: Letby laced Child F’s feeding bag with insulin, but timely medical intervention saved him.
- Attempted Murder of Child G – September 7, 2015: Despite being born extremely prematurely, Child G faced three separate murder attempts by Letby over three weeks.
- Attempted Murder of Child G – September 21, 2015: Mere days after being discharged from the hospital, Letby again attempted to harm Child G.
- Murder of Child I – October 23, 2015: Known for its cold-blooded nature, Letby administered a lethal air injection to Child I.
Letby’s reign of terror continued despite raised alarms within the medical community.
- Attempted Murder of Child L – April 9, 2016: Child L fell victim to Letby’s poisoning with insulin.
- Attempted Murder of Child M – April 9, 2016: Child M suffered brain damage following Letby’s injection of air into his body.
- Attempted Murder of Child N – June 3, 2016: Child N, only a few days old, was targeted by Letby.
- Murder of Child O – June 23, 2016: Returning from a holiday, Child O met a tragic end at Letby’s hands.
- Murder of Child P – June 24, 2016: Shortly after a sibling’s death, Child P was murdered by Letby.
Despite concerns, Letby’s removal from the neonatal unit only occurred in July 2016. The hospital administration reached out to the police almost a year afterward, leading to her arrest in July 2018.
Ian Harvey, the hospital’s medical director, underscored his commitment to baby unit safety and staff support. He called for comprehensive reviews to address the concerns of affected families. Alison Kelly, the director of nursing and deputy chief executive, pledged to learn from the tragedy and cooperate with an independent inquiry.
The unsettling revelations surrounding Lucy Letby’s actions have prompted a critical reevaluation of healthcare practices and underscored the urgency of preventing such horrors in the future. This landmark case will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on medical ethics and patient safety protocols.
