Lucy Letby, a British nurse, was pronounced guilty by the Manchester Crown Court on August 18. The local police department confirmed her conviction for the murder of seven newborns and the attempted murder of six others. This marks the conclusion of a long-standing case that has unsettled England ever since a series of deaths in the neonatal unit, where Letby was employed. The case was first brought to public attention around seven years ago.
What was Lucy Letby found guilty of?
In the case, Letby, aged 33, has been found responsible for the deaths of five male infants and two female infants at the Countess of Chester hospital. The incidents occurred during 2015 and 2016, particularly during her night shifts. Moreover, Nurse Lucy was also proven to have assaulted six additional newborns within the neonatal unit.
During the trial, the jury was informed that Letby allegedly caused harm to her infant victims by administering insulin injections to some and introducing air or forcefully feeding milk to others. Some victims suffered multiple attacks before their deaths. However, Letby has denied these allegations.
Nurse Lucy, who is 33 years old, faced a total of 22 charges. Nonetheless, she was acquitted of two counts of attempted murder. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on six charges related to attempted murder.
As a result of the 10-month trial held at Manchester Crown Court, Letby has been labeled one of the most prolific serial child killers in Britain. Notably, this trial also holds the record for being the longest murder trial in the history of British law. Jurors reportedly spent 110 hours and 26 minutes in deliberations.
It was also revealed that Letby, who was formally charged in 2020, targeted twins as well. In one instance, she caused the deaths of both siblings. Additionally, Letby attempted to end the life of a baby girl on three separate occasions before succeeding on the fourth attempt.
“Lucy Letby was entrusted to protect some of the most vulnerable babies. Little did those working alongside her know that there was a murderer in their midst,” said Pascale Jones, a senior prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
He added, “She did her utmost to conceal her crimes, by varying the ways in which she repeatedly harmed babies in her care.” Letby was arrested in 2018 and 2019 in relation to the investigation, but not charged until after a criminal investigation by the Cheshire police.
Prolonged investigation
The Child Protective Services (CPS) alleges that she clandestinely harmed 13 infants in the neonatal unit of the hospital, with the intention of causing their deaths while making it appear to her colleagues as a natural occurrence.
Letby’s actions initially came to light when senior physicians became alarmed by the increasing number of unexplained infant deaths and emergencies in the neonatal unit, a facility for premature or ill babies, spanning 18 months from January 2015.
As a result, the hospital launched an inquiry in 2016, after an independent evaluation in 2017 failed to provide a conclusive explanation. The assessment, however, did highlight significant staffing shortages, suboptimal decision-making within the unit, and an inadequate count of senior staff members.
In the absence of a medical explanation, law enforcement was contacted, leading to a thorough investigation that revealed Letby’s involvement in the infants’ care.
During the trial, prosecutor Nick Johnson labeled her a “persistent malevolent presence during adverse situations.”
Additionally, it was discovered that one of the victims’ mothers caught her in the act of harming her twin babies, and Letby reassured her with the words, “You can trust me, I’m a nurse.”
Furthermore, police uncovered documentation and medical records containing references to the murdered infants, along with evidence that Letby conducted social media searches related to the parents and families of the deceased babies.
“I am evil, I did this”: Lucy Letby
During a search operation of her house, police found a handwritten note with the message ‘I AM EVIL, I DID THIS’.
When asked about this by defense barrister Ben Meyers KC, Letby reasoned, “Because I felt at the time I had done something wrong and I thought I’m such an awful, evil person…that I had made mistakes and not known.”
The nurse said she thought “Somehow I had been incompetent and I had done something wrong to affect these babies. I felt I must be responsible in some way.”
The prosecution has characterized her as an unfeeling, heartless, and scheming deceiver who has frequently altered her version of the incident. They have additionally requested that her written notes be regarded as an admission of guilt.
Nevertheless, law enforcement officers engaged in the case, while testifying at the trial, stated that they were unable to uncover any reason behind her transformation into a murderer and found no noteworthy abnormalities in her lifestyle.
“The only person that can answer that…is Lucy Letby herself,” said Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes, who led the investigation.
Letby’s defense
During the trial, she consistently denied causing harm to the infants and expressed her intent to provide proper nurturing.
She also attributed the inadequate staff numbers and unclean environment of the ward as potential factors in the babies’ unfortunate demise. Letby further alleged a conspiracy by four doctors to shift blame for the hospital’s shortcomings onto her, while steadfastly maintaining her innocence.
“I have never murdered a child or harmed any of them,” said Letby.
Sentencing and additional inquiries
Letby’s sentencing is scheduled for Monday, August 21. She may receive an extended prison term or an unusual lifelong incarceration. Ongoing investigations by UK authorities encompass Letby’s nursing tenure at the hospital and her training facility in Liverpool. They aim to uncover more potential victims.
Hughes says police are reviewing all 4,000 admissions of babies into neonatal units at the two hospitals where Nurse Lucy worked between 2012 and 2016. However, it does not mean they are “investigating all 4,000,” he added.
“It just means that we are committed to a thorough review of every admission from a medical perspective, to ensure that nothing is missed throughout the entirety of her employment as a nurse,” said the detective.
The UK government has also called for an independent inquiry
The UK authorities have urged a thorough and impartial investigation into the events surrounding the tragic deaths and incidents of attempted harm to infants at the hospital. The aim is to guarantee that families receive the necessary explanations they seek.