Lucy Letby, a British nurse, has been found guilty of the murder of seven newborn babies and the attempted murder of another six during her time at a neonatal unit near Liverpool. This verdict, delivered after a ten-month trial, makes Letby the most prolific child killer in modern British history. The police are currently investigating whether Letby harmed any other infants during her time at the hospital.
The 33-year-old nurse worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016. During this time, doctors reported a series of unexplained deaths and injuries among newborn and premature babies. Although the hospital management dismissed these reports, a police investigation was launched, resulting in Letby’s arrest in 2018.
Further evidence against Letby was discovered during a search of her home, where handwritten notes were found in which she confessed to murdering the babies. In one note, she wrote, “I am a horrible evil person,” and in another, “I AM EVIL I DID THIS.” Parents of the victims also came forward, recounting how they witnessed Letby attacking infants at the hospital. In one instance, Letby responded to the parent’s shock by saying, “trust me, I’m a nurse.”
Among Letby’s victims were two identical brothers from a set of triplets and a premature baby weighing less than 1kg. The methods of harm she employed varied, including poisoning with insulin, force-feeding milk, and injecting air. Shockingly, Letby attempted to kill a baby boy, then went on a holiday to Ibiza with a fellow nurse the following day, only to return to work and kill the two triplet brothers on her first day back. Some of the infants who survived were left permanently disabled, such as a girl who now has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and requires round-the-clock care.
Prosecutors described Letby as “persistent, calculated, and cold-blooded.” They argued in court that she did her best to conceal her crimes by varying the methods of harm she inflicted on the babies and deceiving her colleagues. To further deceive, Letby would tend to the same babies she injured and send sympathy cards to the grieving parents of those she had killed.
Letby stood accused of six additional attempted murders, although the jury could not reach a verdict on these charges. She was not present at Manchester Crown Court when the verdict was delivered, and it has been reported that she has refused to appear in court on Monday when she is expected to receive a life sentence.
This case has raised concerns about the safety and care of newborns in hospitals, and it is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can occur when someone in a position of trust abuses their power. The families of the victims in this case will likely never find closure, but one can only hope that this trial will lead to increased vigilance and safeguards in neonatal units to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
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