Nurse charged with murder of eight babies
The Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester. Nurse Lucy Letby has been charged with the murder of eight babies, as well as the attempted murder of 10 others at the hospital in northern England.
A British female healthcare worker has been charged with the murder of eight babies, as well as the attempted murder of 10 others at a hospital in northern England.
Lucy Letby, 30, was charged over the deaths and “non-fatal collapses” at the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.
Ms Letby was first arrested in July 2018 as part of an inquiry, but was later released.
The nurse is alleged to have murdered five baby boys and three baby girls and is accused of the attempted murder of five baby boys and five baby girls.
Ms Letby, of Arran Avenue, Hereford, was arrested in 2018 and 2019 as part of the police investigation into the Countess of Chester Hospital, which began in 2017.
The majority of infants who died while under Letby’s care were premature. The unusually high amounts of deaths prompted the hospital to close its neonatal unit for a number of months.
Medics launched an internal inquiry after finding that the premature babies had collapsed with heart and lung failure but were, unusually, impossible to resuscitate.
A report later found the babies developed strange blotches on their arms and legs after death.
Experts could not find a cause of death and police were called in to investigate in 2017.
The presiding judge at Warrington Magistrates' Court, Nicholas Sanders, remanded Letby in custody until an appearance at Chester Crown Court tomorrow afternoon.
She appeared in court via videolink. During the 10-minute hearing, she spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth, and address.
Prosecutor Pascale Jones told the court the defendant needed to be remanded in custody for her own protection.
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