A Neonatal Nurse In A British Hospital Has Been Found Guilty Of Killing 7 Babies

LONDON, England – A neonatal nurse in a British hospital was found guilty Friday of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more following a yearlong deception campaign in which she preyed on the weaknesses of ailing newborns and their worried parents.

The jury at Manchester Crown Court convicted Lucy Letby, 33, of killing the babies, including two triplet boys, in the newborn ward at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between June 2015 and June 2016. On Monday, she will be sentenced.

“Parents were exposed to her morbid curiosity and fake compassion,” senior prosecutor Pascale Jones said. “Far too many of them went home to empty baby rooms.” Many surviving children are still dealing with the long-term effects of her assaults on their lives.”

Jones described her attacks as “a complete betrayal of the trust placed in her.”

Families of the victims said they would “forever be grateful” to jurors who had to suffer through 145 days of “gruelling” evidence since last October.

They also expressed their appreciation to all individuals who came to give evidence throughout the trial, which they described as “extremely harrowing and distressing” to listen to in a joint statement read outside court.

“Losing a baby is a heartbreaking experience that no parent should ever have to go through,” they stated. “But losing a baby or having a baby harmed in these specific circumstances is unimaginable.”

Letby’s motivations are unknown, but the scope of her acts suggests meticulous planning.

A neonatal nurse in a British hospital was found guilty Friday of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more.

She was accused of intentionally injuring the newborns, pumping air into their bloodstreams and putting air or milk into their stomachs through nasogastric tubes. She was also accused of poisoning infants by tainting intravenous feeding with insulin and messing with breathing tubes.

Soon after the verdicts, the British government established an independent review into the broader circumstances surrounding what happened at the hospital, including handling employee concerns.

“This inquiry will seek to ensure that the parents and families affected receive the answers they require,” stated Health Secretary Steve Barclay. “I am determined that their voices are heard, and that they are involved in shaping the scope of the inquiry if they so desire.”

One of the Countess of Chester Hospital ‘s senior doctors told the BBC that he had frequently sought to raise the alarm about Letby, but hospital management refused to investigate the claims.

Dr. Stephen Brearley, the neonatal unit’s lead doctor, stated that the hospital attempted to suppress clinicians who complained about Letby and delayed notifying the police.

Before reaching its decision, the jury of seven women and four men pondered for 22 days. One juror was excused for personal reasons during deliberations, and the judge later allowed the other 11 jurors to reach a result with 10 individuals in agreement rather than a unanimous vote.

Letby was convicted guilty of seven murders and seven attempted murder charges involving six minors. She was found not guilty on two counts of attempted murder, and the jury could not decide on several others.

A neonatal nurse in a British hospital was found guilty Friday of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more.

Some verdicts were announced in court earlier this month, but the judge barred them from being reported until the deliberations were completed.

During the lengthy trial, prosecutors said that in 2015, the hospital began to see a large increase in the number of babies dying or suffering rapid deterioration in their health for no apparent cause. Some experienced “serious catastrophic collapses” but lived thanks to medical assistance.

Prosecutors described Letby as a “constant malevolent presence” in the neonatal ward when the children collapsed or died in all of the incidents. They said the nurse damaged the newborns inconspicuously and convinced her colleagues that the collapses and deaths were normal.

Letby was accused in November 2020 after police inquired into the hospital’s baby fatalities in May 2017.

“The last thing we expected to find was a suspect responsible for these deaths and non-fatal collapses,” said Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes, the lead investigating officer.

“It’s difficult enough to show up at the home of a family who has lost a baby, grieved for their loss, and is trying to move on from that, but having to tell them that someone who was supposed to be caring for their little one could ultimately be responsible for their death — that’s not an easy task,” he added.

A neonatal nurse in a British hospital was found guilty Friday of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more.

Letby testified for 14 days and declared her innocence. During the trial, the defense argued that she was a “hard-working, dedicated, and caring” nurse who loved her job and that the infants’ sudden collapses and deaths could have been caused by natural causes or by other factors such as hospital staffing shortages or failure by others to provide appropriate care.

Letby fought back tears as the jury found her guilty of two counts of attempted murder on Aug. 8 and burst into tears as she exited the courtroom. She was back in court three days later when she was found guilty of four murders and two attempted murders.

She did not appear in court as more verdicts were revealed on Friday, and she has informed the court that she does not desire to be in court on Monday or to watch the sentencing hearing by video link.

A message discovered at Letby’s home following her arrest in 2018 will now be used as a terrifying confession.

“I don’t deserve to live,” she scribbled on a green sticky note displayed in court. “I killed them on purpose because I’m not good enough to care for them.”

“I am a horrible evil person,” she said. “I AM THE EVIL WHO DID THIS.”

SOURCE – (AP)