Lucy Letby inquiry finds some babies could have been saved as judge describes ‘complete failure’ in safeguarding – latest updates
Long-awaited Thirlwall inquiry finds three babies may have survived if hospital had acted over concerns raised • Three babies may have survived if hospital had acted over Lucy Letby concerns, inquiry finds Lady Justice Thirlwall said that senior nurses at the hospital refused to accept the consultant’s concerns could be justified, and criticised the “prolonged delay by senior managers in calling the police”. The police were eventually contacted in May 2017, around a year after the death of baby P in June 2016, and despite the fact Letby had been removed from neonatal unit. There was also complete failure at all levels to invoke safeguarding procedures at any point. Looking for clinical or other explanations for deaths and collapses was not wrong, but once there was suspicion that Letby may be causing harm deliberately safeguarding steps should have been taken. Continue reading...
My colleagues Jamie Grierson and Josh Halliday have summarised the crimes Lucy Letby has been convicted of in a useful explainer I have linked to at the bottom of this post. What crimes was Lucy Letby convicted of? In August 2023, Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six more, making her the worst child serial killer in modern British history. Her victims included two identical triplet brothers, killed within 24 hours of each other, a newborn weighing less than 1kg (2lb) who was fatally injected with air, and a girl born 10 weeks premature who was murdered on the fourth attempt.
The jury was unable to reach verdicts on six further counts of attempted murder, relating to five babies. She later faced retrial on one count of attempted murder. What was the outcome of the second trial? In July 2024, Letby was found guilty of trying to kill a two-hour-old baby girl on the same hospital ward where she murdered seven other infants. The infant, known as Baby K