Verdict reached in trial of nurse accused of infant deaths

A nurse who has been on trial since last October, faced allegations of injecting air into her young victims, who were either ill or premature, overfeeding them with milk, and administering insulin poisoning.

After deliberating for 22 days, the jury at Manchester Crown Court in northern England reached their verdict and convicted the nurse of killing seven babies.

Lucy Letby, 33, was apprehended following a series of infant deaths at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between June 2015 and June 2016.

Described by the prosecution as a "calculating" individual who employed methods of killing that left minimal evidence, Letby consistently denied harming the children. Senior Crown Prosecutor Pascale Jones stated, "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."

"Time and again, she harmed babies in an environment that should have been safe for them and their families," the prosecutor added, labeling the killings as "a complete betrayal of the trust placed in her."

Colleagues raised concerns as they noticed Letby was on duty when each of the infants collapsed, with some of the newborns targeted shortly after their parents left their cribs. Prosecutor Nick Johnson noted that Letby "gaslighted" her colleagues into believing the deaths were simply a result of "bad luck."

Letby's last victims were two triplet boys, identified in court as babies O and P. Child O passed away shortly after Letby returned from a vacation in Ibiza in June 2016, while child P died a day after their sibling.

Letby faced a charge of attempting to kill the third triplet, child Q, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict on that count.

Johnson asserted that by this point, Letby was "completely out of control," essentially "playing God."

Letby faced multiple arrests, and during a search of her home, authorities discovered hospital documents and a handwritten note where she had written, "I am evil, I did this." She later explained the note, stating she wrote it after being reassigned to clerical duties following the deaths of the two triplets.

Defending Letby, Barrister Ben Myers portrayed her as "hardworking, deeply committed," and someone who "loved her work." He highlighted the fragile health of the babies, many of whom were born prematurely, and emphasised the overstretched and understaffed conditions of the neonatal unit.

Letby suggested that a group of four senior doctors pinned blame on her to shield the hospital from its shortcomings.

During her trial testimony, Letby maintained her passion for working with children and expressed devastation at being blamed for the deaths.

This case brought to mind the notorious medical murderers in Britain's history, including doctor Harold Shipman and nurse Beverley Allitt.