A British nurse on trial for allegedly murdering seven babies and attempting to kill 10 others was a “constant malevolent presence” within the hospital’s neonatal unit where the killing spree took place, a court heard Monday.
Lucy Letby, 32, has been charged with killing five baby boys and two girls, in addition to the attempted murder of 5 boys and five girls, while she worked on the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between 2015 and 2016.
Police began probing the string of deaths after the hospital noticed a spike within the variety of babies who were dying or suffering “serious catastrophic collapses” in early 2015.
“Babies who had not been unstable in any respect suddenly deteriorated,” prosecutor Nick Johnson said during Monday’s opening statements at Manchester Crown Court.
“Sometimes babies who had been sick, but then been on the mend suddenly deteriorated for no apparent reason.”
Prosecutors consider the deaths and collapses of all 17 babies were the work of Letby.
Johnson called her a “malevolent presence” within the neonatal unit when the babies died or their health deteriorated rapidly.
Letby’s first alleged victim was a premature baby boy who was killed when he was only a day old in June 2015, the prosecutor told jurors.
Letby allegedly injected air into the newborn’s bloodstream, Johnson added.
A medical examiner said the almost certainly reason for that baby’s demise was air that had been administered deliberately “by someone who knew it could cause significant harm.”
When police were called in to analyze the newborn slayings in May 2017, their review uncovered the 2 baby boys had been poisoned with insulin just two days after they were born, Johnson told jurors.
The blood sugar levels of the 2 babies had dropped to dangerous levels — but each managed to survive after medical staff intervened.
Letby was on duty when each boys were poisoned, Johnson alleged.
The disgraced nurse, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder and attempted murder charges, was arrested thrice in reference to the deaths before she was charged in November 2020.
Letby’s parents and the relations of a few of her alleged victims were contained in the courtroom Monday.
Her trial is anticipated to last weeks.
With Post wires
A British nurse on trial for allegedly murdering seven babies and attempting to kill 10 others was a “constant malevolent presence” within the hospital’s neonatal unit where the killing spree took place, a court heard Monday.
Lucy Letby, 32, has been charged with killing five baby boys and two girls, in addition to the attempted murder of 5 boys and five girls, while she worked on the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between 2015 and 2016.
Police began probing the string of deaths after the hospital noticed a spike within the variety of babies who were dying or suffering “serious catastrophic collapses” in early 2015.
“Babies who had not been unstable in any respect suddenly deteriorated,” prosecutor Nick Johnson said during Monday’s opening statements at Manchester Crown Court.
“Sometimes babies who had been sick, but then been on the mend suddenly deteriorated for no apparent reason.”
Prosecutors consider the deaths and collapses of all 17 babies were the work of Letby.
Johnson called her a “malevolent presence” within the neonatal unit when the babies died or their health deteriorated rapidly.
Letby’s first alleged victim was a premature baby boy who was killed when he was only a day old in June 2015, the prosecutor told jurors.
Letby allegedly injected air into the newborn’s bloodstream, Johnson added.
A medical examiner said the almost certainly reason for that baby’s demise was air that had been administered deliberately “by someone who knew it could cause significant harm.”
When police were called in to analyze the newborn slayings in May 2017, their review uncovered the 2 baby boys had been poisoned with insulin just two days after they were born, Johnson told jurors.
The blood sugar levels of the 2 babies had dropped to dangerous levels — but each managed to survive after medical staff intervened.
Letby was on duty when each boys were poisoned, Johnson alleged.
The disgraced nurse, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder and attempted murder charges, was arrested thrice in reference to the deaths before she was charged in November 2020.
Letby’s parents and the relations of a few of her alleged victims were contained in the courtroom Monday.
Her trial is anticipated to last weeks.
With Post wires
