Murder Trial Verdict: Lucy Letby Convicted of Attempted Baby Murder

Former Nurse Lucy Letby Found Guilty of Attempted Murder of Newborn Baby

Details of Lucy Letby’s Criminal Convictions

The former nurse Lucy Letby was found guilty on Tuesday of attempting to murder another newborn baby, adding to the convictions last year that made her Britain’s most prolific serial child killer of modern times.

Letby, 34, was found guilty last August of murdering seven babies and trying to kill six more between June 2015 and June 2016 while working as a nurse in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, northern England. She was sentenced to life in prison and told she would never be released despite denying any wrongdoing.

Last month, Letby went on trial for a second time on one count of attempted murder of a further baby girl, known as Child K, a charge on which the original jury had failed to reach a verdict.

Prosecutor Nick Johnson explained that Child K was born prematurely at 25 weeks in February 2016 at the hospital and had been connected to a ventilator and other machines monitoring her health. Johnson further elaborated on Letby’s actions that night, highlighting her dangerous interference with the baby’s breathing tube.

In her evidence during the trial, Letby continued to deny any harm to the babies under her care and claimed no recollection of the night in question. Her defence lawyer argued that there was insufficient evidence to prove her guilt.

Letby’s initial convictions sparked national outrage in Britain and prompted an inquiry into why hospital authorities had not acted upon concerns about her behavior. Police are also investigating possible additional victims at other hospitals where Letby previously worked.

Reactions to the Verdict

After Letby’s latest conviction, Senior Crown Prosecutor Nicola Wyn Williams labeled her actions as those of a “cold-blooded, calculated killer.” The family of Child K expressed relief that justice had been served but acknowledged the ongoing emotional distress caused by Letby’s actions.

Despite some social media support for Letby claiming she was wrongly convicted, the Court of Appeal in England upheld her guilt, dismissing arguments that contested the prosecution’s evidence. The judge ruled that the exact method of Letby’s crimes did not need to be proven for a conviction.

The case of Lucy Letby continues to generate significant debate and scrutiny, raising questions about the handling of healthcare professionals and safeguarding vulnerable patients.

Reporting by Michael Holden and Sachin Ravikumar; editing by William James, Mark Heinrich, Alexandra Hudson

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