Neonatal Nurse Convicted of Murdering 7 Babies

In 2018, the neonatal unit of Countess of Chester Hospital in the United Kingdom became the center of a horrifying case. Babies were dying at a rapid rate. At the center of the mystery was a young nurse, Lucy Letby. Here are six things you need to know about the woman convicted of murdering seven babies in her care and attempting to murder six others, who is now serving life in prison.

1. She Was an Educated, Credentialed Nurse

Lucy Letby became the first in her family to pursue higher education and earned her three-year nursing degree from the University of Chester. Her studies included practical placements at the Countess of Chester Hospital, focused on children's wards, including the neonatal unit.

2. Hospital Employees Raised Concerns

Several doctors raised concerns about a rise in unexplained infant deaths and illnesses during Letby's shifts. Dr. John Gibbs, a consultant pediatrician who worked alongside Letby, described a growing sense of unease, "something abnormal that couldn't be medically explained," was happening to babies on the unit, as reported by The New Yorker.

Letby was accused of murdering seven infants (most of whom were born premature) and attempting to kill 10 more in 2015 and 2016. The seven deaths were a result of the babies being given excess milk, air, insulin, or fluid. Among the victims were two babies from a set of triplets that suffered "acute deterioration," as reported by PEOPLE. Regarding one of those babies, Letby allegedly asked a doctor if the baby was "leaving alive." Some of the children, prosecutors say, survived multiple attacks before dying.

3. Pleading Not Guilty

Photo by Crown Prosecution Service.

The subsequent trial that lasted 10 grueling months became a media spectacle. The prosecution presented a mountain of circumstantial evidence. Medical records documented unexplained deteriorations in the infants' health coinciding with Letby's presence. Additionally, incriminating notes found in her home said things like "I am evil, I did this," according to The New Yorker. Colleagues also testified against Letby, including her supervisor. Despite the weight of evidence, Letby maintained her innocence. Letby was arrested three times on suspicion of being involved with the deaths, starting in 2018, 2019, and finally in 2020.

4. Taking the Stand

Letby's trial finally took place in May 2023. Letby chose to take the stand in her defense, telling jurors that she meant and did no harm during her tenure at the hospital. According to PEOPLE, Letby said, "I only ever did my best to care for them," and that hurting them would be "completely against everything that being a nurse is. I am there to care, not to harm."

Taking her claims of innocence a step further, she claimed in court that the deaths could be related to hospital plumbing issues. PEOPLE reports she stated: "We used to have raw sewage coming out of the sinks and coming out on the floor in Nursery One," she alleged, also claiming that staff being unable to wash their hands could be "a contributory issue."

But that accusation against the hospital plumbing didn't hold when the prosecutor, Nick Johnson, delivered his closing arguments. He said that Letby used lethal air injections on at least 12 of her victims, claiming the practice was "one of her favorite ways of killing or trying to kill children in this case," as reported by PEOPLE.

5. Guilty Verdict

In August 2023, the jury found Letby guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others. The judge in her case, James Goss, said that although Letby seemed to have been a "very conscientious, hardworking, knowledgeable, confident, and professional nurse," she had set out on a "calculated and cynical campaign of child murder," as reported by The New Yorker. Letby was sentenced to life, making her the fourth woman in U.K. history to receive this sentence.

6. She Was Not Present at Sentencing

Letby was not present at her sentencing. After public outrage, the Prime Minister said he would move to pass laws requiring, even by force, that criminals be present at their sentencing to face their victims and the consequences of their actions.

That sums up the horrific case of Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse and serial baby killer. While she maintains her innocence, we have no answers as to why Letby chose to commit such heinous crimes against helpless infants. Hopefully, the guilty verdict and subsequent life sentence has provided some shred of closure to the victims' families who have undoubtedly suffered a devastating tragedy.

References: A British Nurse Was Found Guilty of Killing Seven Babies. Did She Do It?| Lucy Letby Trial: What to Know About the Nurse Convicted of Murdering 7 Infants in U.K. Hospital