Neonatal nurse Lucy Letby has been found guilty of the “persistent, calculated, and cold-blooded” murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of six more. The shocking case has capped the 33 years old as the worst child serial killer in contemporary British history.
She will be condemned to a lifetime behind bars on 11 October 2023, making her one of only 3 living women in the UK to receive such a sentence.
Baby Killer Nurse Victims
The case serves as a chilling reminder of the darkness hiding behind seemingly trustworthy individuals.
The former employee at Countess of Chester Hospital in north-west England was convicted of murdering premature infants under her care on 8 August. The ages of her victims ranged from 2 to 17 days old. Among her victims were two triplet brothers, a 2-pound newborn, and a 10-weeks premature girl.
One of her victims, referred to as Child G, survived her attacks but was left with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, requiring round-the-clock care.
Modus Operandi
The prosecution alleged that Letby deliberately injected the babies with air, causing irreparable damage to their diaphragms. The jury also learned that she attempted to kill 2 babies by lacing their feeding bags with insulin.
The defense argued that Letby was innocent and that the babies’ deaths were due to natural causes or medical complications.
DCI Nicola Evans, of Cheshire constabulary, labeled Letby a “calculated and callous” killer who exploited the trust placed in her to commit her atrocious crimes. Letby’s actions were carried out under a veil of trust, making her betrayal all the more shocking and disturbing.
The prosecution alleged that she was motivated by a desire to be “the angel of death” and that she enjoyed the power she felt over those helpless beings. The defense argued that Letby was mentally ill and that she did not know what she was doing.
The case has shocked the UK and raised questions about the safety of hospitals and the quality of care provided to babies. It has also intensified calls for a public inquiry into the deaths of the babies.
Families Left Broken
The deaths of these babies have had a devastating impact on their families. As the verdicts were delivered, bereaved parents in the public gallery gasped and wept. The emotional turmoil of the parents was palpable, and the courtroom witnessed tense moments. The parents have spoken of their grief and loss, and of the pain of knowing that their babies were killed by someone they trusted.
A police family liaison officer read a statement outside the court on behalf of the victims’ parents, expressing a bittersweet sense of justice served but acknowledging that no conviction could fully alleviate their anguish.
The Lengthy Trial
A massive police investigation, codenamed Operation Hummingbird, was launched to uncover the extent of Letby’s crimes. It was one of the longest-running murder trials in recent times, which unfolded over several dramatic days at the Manchester Crown Court. The murders took place between June 2015 and June 2016. The investigation was complex and challenging, taking several years to gather enough evidence to charge the killer.
Neonatologists pored over the medical records of thousands of infants born at the hospitals where Letby worked between 2012 and 2016. This thorough examination aimed to identify any suspicious cases that could shed light on her dark actions.
It was not until July 2018 that Letby was arrested and charged with murder. She was rearrested in June 2019 and November 2020, and the charges against her were upgraded to include attempted murder. The trial began in January 2023 and lasted for nine months. The jury heard evidence from more than 100 witnesses, including medical experts, pathologists, and parents of the babies who died.
