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10% BBC - Lucy Letby: Nurse denied dislodging baby's breathing tube, trial hears

"In a police interview, Ms Letby said the baby's designated nurse would not have left unless she was stable and the tube was in place. [...]

Mr Johnson said: "Expert evidence is admitted into a criminal trial to help you understand or to inform you of medical or scientific matters which fall outside of your experience."

He said it was agreed that "nothing either Dr Dewi Evans or Dr Sandie Bohin" could provide would "add to the evidence you have heard so we are not going to call them at this stage"."
 
Prosecution evidence, March 2nd 2023, Day 65 - live updates Chester Standard -LIVE: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, March 2

Child N

8:56am

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more, is expected to continue today (Thursday, March 2).
We will be bringing you live updates throughout the day.

9:01am

The prosecution is expected to begin delivering evidence in the case of Child N, a baby boy who was born in June 2016.
The prosecution allege Lucy Letby attempted to murder Child N three times. The defence deny this.

9:30am

Previously, the court heard June 2016 was the last full month in which Lucy Letby worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit.
The following month, the neonatal unit was redesignated from a 'Level 2' unit down to a 'Level 1' unit.
Earlier this week, the court heard very premature babies, such as Child K, would be cared for, long-term, at a tertiary centre - or 'Level 3' unit, such as at Wirral's Arrowe Park Hospital.


10:31am

The trial has now resumed, with evidence being given in the case of Child N.

Mother's Statement

10:39am

The court is now hearing a statement from the mother of Child N, who was born on June 2, 2016 at 1.42pm, via C-section.
The mother first visited the neonatal unit, where Child N was, at 10pm that night. Child N was kept there due to prematurity, and for the first 13 days there were no problems reported to the parents.
Child N had haemophilia and on June 15, the parents were informed the baby boy had had a bleed. The parents were informed to attend hospital as soon as possible.
Child N was in intensive care, and on arrival Lucy Letby was there with other people.
They were told they had tried to intubate Child N between 4-8am.
Child N had two collapses that day - the parents were told to go out and get some fresh air in between the two collapses. While they were out, Child N had his second collapse.
A 'spur of the moment' baptism took place. Lucy Letby stayed beyond the end of her shift, and Child N was transferred to Alder Hey, where he recovered quickly over the following couple of days.

Father's Statement

10:42am

A statement is now being read from Child N's father, who says Child N's mother was a haemophia carrier.
He said he could not go to all the scans, but at one of them there was a concern Child N appeared to stop growing, so steroids were prescribed.
A C-section was planned, several weeks early.
When Child N was born, he weighed 3lb 11oz.
It was "a little scary" when he was first born, as Child N needed a little oxygen, but he was then ok.
For the first 13 days, the only issue reported to the parents was an issue with Child N's liver, which he was being treated for with light therapy.
The parents visited daily.

10:45am

On the day Child N was due to come home, on June 15, the father was at work. He received a call from Lucy LEtby saying Child N was 'a bit unwell' during the night, but was fine now. He did not get the impression that Child N was still unwell.
He then received a call from child N's mother to come to the hospital as soon as possible.
When he arrived, Lucy Letby was in the room with Child N, giving cares. There was "no urgency". Lucy said: "Hi. He's been a bit unwell during the night."
He said he was "shocked" when he saw Child N, as he had dried reddy-brown blood around the mouth.
"I remember being confused and thinking, 'what's wrong with him?'"
"No-one told us what happened, or why."
After going outside for a bite to eat, they returned to the neonatal unit and found the blinds were down. A staff member on reception said Child N was "really unwell" and if they would like a priest.

10:51am

Someone came into the maternity room, where Child N's mother was staying with the father. The staff member said: "You'd better come - he's really ill this time."
Upon their arrival to the intensive treatment unit, resuscitation efforts were being administered to Child N.
The father said he could not watch what was going on. Staff from Alder Hey Children's Hospital were among the staff members in the room.
After a breathing tube was fitted, Child N stabilised and 'calmed down'.
The parents spoke to a haemophiliac specialist nurse who had come from Alder Hey via taxi.
Child N was taken to the transport team, in a process "which seemed like forever", by 11pm.
Lucy Letby came to the parents and said she had stated beyond the end of her shift and hoped that Child N was going to be alright.
Child N was taken to Alder Hey, where he stayed for a couple of weeks before going home.
When home, the parents noticed Child N had 'twitches', then later 'spasms', and at one point was not breathing.
He was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital, and transferred to Alder Hey, where he stayed for 1-2 weeks.
 
Child N

Tweets

Father's Statement



Mel Barham

@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

Today we’re hearing evidence about Baby N who was born prematurely at 33 weeks with a condition called haemophilia. Jury hearing statements from his parents

Court hears baby N collapsed 3 times. In Dad’s statement he says he walked into room after first collapse to see “dry blood around his lips”. He was later transferred to Alder Hey. Just before this Baby N’s dad said Lucy Letby came up to his partner and gave her a hug…(1)

(2)… “maybe she even gave her a kiss” and said she’d stayed on after the end of her shift, saying to the parents “I hope he will be alright”

------

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

The court is being read statements from the parents of Child N. The boy's father recalled receiving a call from Ms Letby, who told him that his son had been a bit unwell' during the night of June 15.

He and his partner went to the hospital, where he found Ms Letby caring for Child N. He said he was 'shocked' when he saw his son, as he had dried reddy-brown blood around the mouth and his skin was 'blueish in colour'

Soon after, Child N required resuscitation - he eventually stabilised after a breathing tube was fitted
 
Prosecution evidence, March 2nd 2023, Day 65 - live updates Chester Standard -LIVE: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, March 2

Child N

Electronic evidence 2nd June 2016 to 4th June 2016

11:01am

Cheshire Police intelligence analyst Claire Hocknell is now talking the court through the first of two sequences of events for Child N.
The first is a Facebook message from a Countess of Chester Hospital doctor at 11.56am on June 2, asking Lucy Letby for an 'opinion on something'.
Lucy Letby replies: "Hope I can help!"
Child N is born via C-section at 1.42pm, weighing 1.67kg, at 34 weeks plus 4 days gestation. His 'APGAR' scores, recording how well Child N was doing immediately after birth, are 9/10 at 1 minute and 9/10 at 5 minutes.
Nurse Caroline Oakley records Child N was admitted to the neonatal unit at 2pm, and Child N had 'prematurity and clotting disorder'.
A blood sample was taken at 2.30pm.
A clinical note by Dr Anthony Ukoh reports: '34+4 baby boy cried immediately, required no active resus'.
'Not for IM Vit K for now until haemophilia status known'.
'Observations: ...intermittently grunting++'

11:03am

A desaturation down to 67% oxygen saturation, lasting one minute, is recorded by nurse Caroline Oakley at 3.10pm.
The nurse adds, in a nursing note: '[Child N] Allowed to rest. Sounds very mucousy. Grunting intermittently...dropped saturations to 67% when upset; temp being recorded and required 60% O2 to recover...awaiting blood results before being given Vit K.'

11:06am

The note adds: 'Decision made to screen and [nil by mouth], IV fluids/Vit K IV as prescribed as still grunting'

11:12am

An x-ray result before 6pm recorded that Child N likely had an infection.
Nurse Caroline Oakley recorded at 6.47pm that Child N's temperature, which had been low, was recovering.
A family communication is recorded: 'Dad has visited baby on unit and updated by [Belinda] Simcock. She has also visited mum... and updated...'
A haemophilia diagnosis is confirmed for Child N.

11:14am

Lucy Letby is recorded as starting her night shift on June 2 at 7.30pm, in time for the 7.30pm-8pm staff handover.
Letby is a designated nurse, with shift leader being Melanie Taylor and other designated nurses being Christoper Booth and Sophie Ellis.
Booth has two babies in room 1, including Child N, Ellis had one in room 2 and two in room 3, and Letby had two in room 4. Two babies were in transitional care, and another baby was 'rooming in with her parents' - that baby's designated nurse was Letby.

11:17am

A few minutes after entering the neonatal unit, Letby Whatsapps a colleague and says she had a 'paper handover' as colleague Caroline had gone home.
Nurse Christopher Booth records 'care taken over approx 2000...oxygen saturations predominantly in mid 90s-100%'. He also records the usual handover checks.

11:20am

Letby messages 'We have got a baby with haemophilia'
Reply: 'How many weeks?'
LL: '34'
R: 'oh'
LL: 'Everyone bit panicked by seems of things but baby appears fine'
R: 'male?
LL: 'yeah'
LL: 'Oh and had weird FB message from [doctor] earlier...'
Letby adds she does not know much about haemophilia. Her colleague replies to be careful with cannula and blood samples.

11:26am

The conversation continues about discussion of other babies, and Letby messages her colleague: 'Had strange message from [doctor] earlier...'
Reply: 'Did u? Saying what?' 'Go commando?
Laughing emojis are replied by Letby.
Letby: 'Asking when I was working...'
R: 'Think he likes you too...'
LL: '...Just wants my opinion on something'
R: 'Hmm'
LL: 'Do you think he's being odd?
R: 'Thought as flirty as u'
LL: 'Shut up!'
R: 'What?!'
LL: 'I don't flirt with him!'
R: 'Ok'
LL: 'Certainly don't fancy him haha just nice guy'
R: 'Ok'

11:27am

The conversation continues back on work, asking why there was a staff shortage on the unit. One of the staff members is speculated to be off with stress.

11:28am

The conversation on Whatsapp, now continuing after 10pm, discusses another baby's condition.

11:33am

Further observations are recorded regularly for Child N up to 1am.
Child N then suffered a desaturation at 1.05am.
Nurse Christopher Booth: 'One episode whilst I was on my break, whereby infant was crying++ and not settling.
He became dusky in colour, desaturating to 40s. Responded to facial oxygen within 1-2 minutes, crying [subsided] after 30 minutes'. The note adds Child N's colour returned to pink perfusion.

11:34am

Nurse Booth added, up to 2.04am: 'No further episodes observed. Oxygen saturations have been consistently mid 90s-100%...in view of earlier episode, infant remains nil by mouth...'.

11:36am

Nurse Ashleigh Hudson takes over care of Child N for the day shift on June 3.
'Tachypnoeic on handover, unsettled'

11:39am

Letby messages the same colleague: 'been busy...' adding what had happened to a number of babies during the night shift, and what staff on duty had been doing.
She adds: 'Glad to be off, survived my nights tho' followed by a smiley face emoji.

11:42am

Dr Sudeshna Bhowmik records a list of 'problems' for Child N, including prematurity, jaundice and respiratory distress.
A plan was to discuss with Alder Hey Children's Hospital haemotology, and that discussion was carried out.

11:47am

A dose of vitamin K is prescribed for Child N during the day shift.
Nurse Ashleigh Hudson records a 'slightly mucky aspirate' for Child N towards the end of the day shift, at about 6pm.
The note of a summary of care between 8am-6pm records Child N was 'settled for the rest of the day', with 'minimal aspirates obtained. Aspirates clear with tiny old blood specks'.
'Paeds have liased with AHCH'

11:49am

Nurse Christopher Booth, at the time of the night shift handover for June 3-4, records at 8pm Child N was settled.
A family communication note by nurse Hudson: 'Both parents updated on current condition and plan of care. Mum very anxious, worried about baby being in the incubator. Explained need for it, to keep baby warm and make observation easier...'

11:52am

The sequence of events goes up to June 4 at 3am, where Christopher Booth records 'No significant desaturations, bradycardias or apnoeic episodes observed overnight...'

12:18pm

Kate Tyndall, intelligence analyst for Cheshire Police, is now talking the court through the neonatal review schedule for the events in the case of Child N.

--

Tweets

Mel Barham

@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

Hearing now from Cheshire Police intelligence analyst Claire Hocknell. Lucy Letby is recorded as starting night shift at 7:30pm. She was designated nurse for 2 other babies, she wasn’t designated nurse for baby N

Mel Barham

@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

Jury has been shown whats app messages between Letby and another member of staff, where they talk about baby N having haemophilia. Letby says “I’ll have to google it later, don’t know much about it”


Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Cheshire Police intelligence analyst Claire Hocknell is now talking the court through sequencing evidence for Child N


Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
58m

Court is now being shown messages sent between Ms Letby and a colleague who can't be named for legal reasons on June 2. Messages are discussing a doctor, who also cannot be named

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
57m

Ms Letby says: 'Had strange message from [doctor] earlier...' Her colleague says 'Did u? Saying what? Go commando?' (with laughing emojis) 'Think he likes you too

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
57m

Ms Letby went on to say: 'I don't flirt with him! Certainly don't fancy him haha just nice guy'

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
45m

We're continuing to go over door swipe data and observation charts for Child N on June 2/3 2016
 
Prosecution evidence, March 2nd 2023, Day 65 - live updates Chester Standard -LIVE: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, March 2

Child N

Dr Jennifer Loughnane, Registrar night-shift 2nd/3rd June 2016

12:24pm

Prosecutor Philip Astbury says Dr Jennifer Loughnane will next give evidence.
She confirms she is a consultant paediatrician at the Countess of Chester Hospital, and was employed as a registrar on the night shift of June 2/3, 2016.

12:28pm

She says she has no independent recollection of Child N or that night shift, other than that recorded in her notes.
At 10.55pm, she carried out a routine review, which included an examination of Child N.

12:32pm

Dr Loughnane has noted Child N's history up to that point in the first 12 hours of his life, and noting a concern of a growth restriction during pregnancy, and the weight of 1.67kg indicating Child N was "a small baby".
No risk factors for sepsis were detected.
Child N was 'screened [for infection] - due to grunting at four hours'. The grunting was, the court hears, due to Child N having extra fluid in the lungs.
Child N was 'self ventilating in air', 'respiratory rate 60', 'Sats 96% room air'

12:41pm

An antenatal plan had been put in place as Child N's mother was a haemophilia carrier.
At 1.10am, Dr Loughnane is informed about Child having a desaturation. She does not recall who did so.
The note at the time records: Child N 'got upset, looked mottled, dusky, sats 40%, O2 100%'.
'On my arrival, 40% O2, screaming, sternal recession, poor trace on Sats probe, pink'.
The desaturation was "significant", Dr Loughnane tells the court.

12:43pm

Mr Astbury asks about the significance of the word 'screaming'.
Dr Loughnane says that 'screaming' is not a word she would tend to write very often in her neonatal notes. She says that would indicate Child N was particularly upset.

12:50pm

Dr Loughnane said attempts were made to settle the baby, but was crash bleeped away.
On her return, Child N's saturation levels recovered to 100%, and he was "asleep". The time of Dr Loughnane's return is not recorded.
The plan was to continue to observe Child N and carry out the blood gas reading at 2am, indicating the note was made sometime before 2am.
A blood gas reading is carried out at 2.04am, and Dr Loughnane says there is a raised lactate reading for Child N.

Cross-Examination

1:00pm

Benjamin Myers KC, for Letby's defence, is asking Dr Loughnane questions.
He says Dr Loughnane covered a lot of areas of the hospital on that night shift. She replies the arrangement was standard for most hospitals.
Mr Myers refers to notes made before the handover took place, in relation to Child N "intermittently grunting++" and an event of Child N desaturating to 67%.
He asks if it is possible for a baby to desaturate because they are upset, via a 'false desaturation' from the Sats probe not picking up the trace.
Dr Loughnane says that can be the case, but it would usually be recorded as such in the medical notes. The number on the oxygen saturation reading could be lower, or not be displayed at all.

1:05pm

Mr Myers asks about Child N 'screaming' and being 'pink', which he says if Child N had suffered a desaturation, he was "certainly recovering" from that. Dr Loughnane agrees.
Mr Myers asks about the relevance of the 'poor trace on Sats probe'.
Dr Loughnane says she had been told of the 40% sats reading, but on her arrival, she had seen Child N was pink.
Mr Myers says there were no signs of Child N having any fresh blood anywhere. Dr Loughnane agrees.
Dr Loughnane also agrees it is rare to be looking after a baby at the Countess of Chester Hospital - or any hospital - who has haemophilia.

1:10pm

Mr Myers says other than the raised lactate reading, the blood gas record at 2.04am was normal. Dr Loughnane agrees.

Re-Examination

The prosecution rise to clarify the '40% O2 (on my arrival)' note, and ask if that is a saturation reading or the oxygen support for Child N. Dr Loughnane says she cannot be sure, but believes it would be the latter.
Mr Astbury says if the 40% oxygen saturation recorded by the nurse was inaccurate, it would have been noted as such in medical notes. Dr Loughnane agrees that would be the case.
That completes Dr Loughnane's evidence.
 
Mel Barham

@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

We are now hearing from Dr Jennifer Loughnane who is a consultant paediatrician at the Countess of Chester hospital and on the night of 2nd June 2016 she was the registrar on shift when prosecution allege Lucy Letby first attacked baby N

Mel Barham

@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

Dr Loughnane tells the court she was called to look at baby N following what prosecution allege was Lucy letby’s first attack on the baby. She noted the baby was “screaming” That was noted as unusual as it is a word which she doesn’t write very often in notes

Mel Barham

@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

Defence is asking Dr Loughnane whether a baby who was upset, could actually display as having a desaturation because the monitoring probe might not have contact with the baby, effectively giving a false desaturation. She agreed it could

--

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Dr Jennifer Loughnane is now in the witness box. She worked a night shift on June 2/3 2016

https://twitter.com/MrDanDonoghue
Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Dr Loughnane is taking the court over her notes from June 2. They show Child N was 'on the smaller side' at birth. Also show he had a blood disorder and needed a full course of steroids to help with lung development

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Her notes from the early hours of June 3 state that she was asked to see Child N. He 'looked mottled and dusky' upon examination

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Dr Loughnane said the baby 'was screaming' when she arrived. She said he had suffered 'quite a significant desaturation'


Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Dr Loughnane says that 'screaming' is not a word she would tend to write very often in her neonatal notes. She says that would indicate Child N was particularly upset.


Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Ben Myers KC, defending, asks if it's possible for there to be a 'correlation between a desaturation and a baby being upset'. 'Yeah', Dr Loughnane responds

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Mr Myers takes the court back over notes from the night of June 3 which show Child N was 'pink' when she arrived. He asks whether that shows if he was recovering from the desat - she agrees
https://twitter.com/MrDanDonoghue
Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
35m

Report of this morning's evidence here
www.bbc.co.uk

Lucy Letby: Dad found baby spattered in blood, trial hears

Lucy Letby is accused of attacking a baby boy with a blood disorder, the nurse's trial hears.
www.bbc.co.uk
 
"He said he was "shocked" when he saw Child N, adding: "[His] skin was blueish in colour, all over his body.
"He had dried blood around his lips. His lips weren't fully covered in blood, there was loads spattered over him like he'd coughed.
"I remember being confused and thinking, 'what's wrong with him?'"
"No-one told us what happened, or why."
The boy's father said after staying on the neonatal unit for a few hours, the parents went out for "20 to 25 minutes" to buy some food, as they had not eaten that day.
When they returned to the neonatal unit, they found the blinds were down and a staff member on reception told them Child N was "really unwell".
The father said he was "scared" as medics soon after needed to give Child N resuscitation."

10% BBC Lucy Letby: Dad found baby spattered in blood, trial hears
 
Tortoise said:
11:26am

The conversation continues about discussion of other babies, and Letby messages her colleague: 'Had strange message from [doctor] earlier...'
Reply: 'Did u? Saying what?' 'Go commando?
Laughing emojis are replied by Letby.
Letby: 'Asking when I was working...'
R: 'Think he likes you too...'
LL: '...Just wants my opinion on something'
R: 'Hmm'
LL: 'Do you think he's being odd?
R: 'Thought as flirty as u'
LL: 'Shut up!'
R: 'What?!'
LL: 'I don't flirt with him!'
R: 'Ok'
LL: 'Certainly don't fancy him haha just nice guy'
R: 'Ok'
Click to expand...
Later updated by Chester Standard :

11:26am

The conversation continues about discussion of other babies, and Letby messages her colleague: 'Had strange message from [doctor] earlier...'
Reply: 'Did u? Saying what?' 'Go commando? (laughing emoji)
Letby: (4 x laughing emojis)
Letby: 'Asking when I was working next week as wants to talk to me about something, has a favour to ask..?'
R: 'Think he likes you too...'
R: 'Hmm did u not ask what it was?'
LL: 'No just said when I was working and he said wants my opinion on something'
LL: Hmm...:confused:
R: 'Hmm'
LL: 'Do you think he's being odd?
R: 'Thought as flirty as u'
LL: 'Shut up!'
R: 'What?!'
LL: 'I don't flirt with him!'
R: 'Ok'
LL: 'Certainly don't fancy him haha just nice guy'
R: 'Ok'

LIVE: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, March 2
 
Prosecution evidence, March 2nd 2023, Day 65 - live updates Chester Standard -LIVE: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, March 2

Child N

Dr Sudeshna Bhowmik, Statement 2nd & 3rd June 2016

2:11pm

The trial will resume imminently, with intelligence analyst Claire Hocknell returning to talk through the second sequence of events for Child N.

2:20pm

Firstly, a statement from Dr Sudeshna Bhowmik is read out to the court.
Dr Bhowmik says tests were carried out on Child N for haemophilia.
It was discussed with the parents that Child N would be taken to the neonatal unit due to his prematurity, and would need an incubator for temperature control.
Child N had intermittent grunting at one hour of age, which was not unusual for babies born via C-section as there would be increased fluid in the lungs. The usual practice was to oberserve for four hours to see if the baby would settle down. Vitamin K was withheld on the risk of increased bruising/bleeding for Child N, until test results came back.
Child N was later screened for sepsis as he had continued grunting beyond the four-hour observation period. He was breathing without any support required.
He had had 'an episode' where he desaturated to 40%, with colour change noted, but had "settled thereafter" and did not need "supplementary oxygen for very long".

2:21pm

The rest of the examination by Dr Bhowmik on June 3 was "normal", and Child N was seen to be pink and well perfused, and doing "well from a respiratory point of view".
 
Prosecution evidence, March 2nd 2023, Day 65 - live updates Chester Standard -LIVE: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, March 2

Child N

Nurse Caroline Oakley, Two Statements re. day-shift 2nd June 2016

2:27pm

A statement from Caroline Oakley is read out to the court, in which the nurse describes Child N being born, transferred to the neonatal unit, and describes being aware the mother was a haemophilia carrier.
Child N was dressed and placed in a 'hot cot'. He was 'grunting intermittently', which was not unusual. At 3pm, his temperature dropped to 36.4 degrees, and the temperature of the cot was increased to 39 degrees.
Child N had a desaturation to 67% and was given 60% oxygen support, and was screened.
Child N was presenting "quite typically" for a baby of his gestational age, and there were no overriding concerns at the time of the handover.
A second statement by nurse Caroline Oakley said there was nothing to suggest the naso-gastric tube had been moved, nor any difficulties with the tube being initially inserted.

------

Tweets

https://twitter.com/MrDanDonoghue
Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
10m

Jury is first being read a number of statements of agreed evidence on the June 2 incident. Nurse Caroline Oakley said she was 'not overly concerned' about the health of Child N on the day shift

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
9m

She also said that there was 'nothing to suggest' Child N's nasogastric (NG) tube had been 'physically moved once inserted'
 
Last edited:
Prosecution evidence, March 2nd 2023, Day 65 - live updates Chester Standard -LIVE: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, March 2

Child N

Nurse Melanie Taylor, Shift-leader, statement re. night shift 2nd/3rd June 2016
Nurse Sophie Ellis, statement re. night-shift 2nd/3rd June 2016

2:30pm

Nurse Melanie Taylor, in her statement, says she "vaguely" remembers Child N by the name, but does not recall the shift. She confirmed she was the shift leader for the night of June 2/3, 2016.
She was aware Child N had suffered a collapse during the night, but did not remember it happening or responding to it.
Nurse Sophie Ellis, in her statement, says for the night shift of June 2/3, 2016, she had a vague memory of Child N as had haemophilia, which was unusual. She did not remember the details of the night shift she worked.
She says she knows, from the notes, Child N had a collapse, but does not remember being involved in the efforts to stabilise Child N. She knows the collapse happened when Christopher Booth was on a break.


Nurse Christopher Booth, statement re. night-shift 2nd/3rd June 2016

2:34pm

Christopher Booth, in his statement, is asked about the night shift he was on for June 2/3, 2016. He said he remembered Child N as it was unusual for a neonatal baby to be a haemophiliac. He adds his memory of the shift is "limited".
He says he is "almost certain" he was caring for Child N that night. He recalls Child N was stable, with oxygen saturations "almost 100%, and "no abnormalities" presented.
He says it was likely on the hour when he left for his one-hour meal break, saying he had "no concerns". He handed over care to a nurse, but does not recall who that was.
When he returned from his break, he was "surprised" to learn Child N had become 'unsettled' and 'fractious' suffered a desaturation. He adds he had not been called back from his break.


Nursery Nurse Valerie Thomas, statement re. night-shift 2nd/3rd June 2016


2:35pm

Valerie Thomas, in her statement, says she does not recall Child N or the night shift of June 2/3, but does know she was on that night shift. She says she was likely working in nursery room 3 or 4.
She knows Child N had collapsed when nurse Booth was on a break. She said it was "very unlikely" she would have been involved in any subsequent care.
 
Prosecution evidence, March 2nd 2023, Day 65 - live updates Chester Standard -LIVE: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, March 2

Child N

Electronic Evidence Part II re. 14th & 15th June 2016

2:37pm

Intelligence analyst Claire Hocknell has returned to court to talk the court through the second series (out of two) of the sequence of events for Child N.

2:45pm

The sequence says Child N continued to be cared for at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit between June 3 and June 14. The rest of the sequence of events, presented electronically to the jury, begins from June 14, 2016.
Lucy Letby is the designated nurse for Child N on the day shift of June 14. At 7.40am, Child N takes on a feed of expressed breast milk.
Letby records notes at the handover at 8am.
Letby messages a colleague to complain about having to finish up a previous shift' nurse's work, and had left a bottle 'dirty'.

2:51pm

Lucy Letby records regular temperature readings for Child N which are all recorded in a 'normal range'. The court had previously been told readings in the 'yellow area' (too high, or too low) would be considered abnormal, but none of the temperature readings recorded as being too high or too low.
Letby notes: 'Demand feeding EBM via own bottle, completing more than required volumes....repeat SBR this morning on downward trend but not yet >50...otherwise ready for home'.
In a family communication note: 'Mummy visiting this morning, carried out cares and feed. Put infant to breast. Discussed feeding at home'
The notes show Child N was ready to go home, apart from further treatment required for jaundice, and was on phototherapy.
Other family members visited Child N at the neonatal unit that day.

2:53pm

For the night shift of June 14, Child N was in nursery room 3.
Nurse Jennifer Jones-Key, in a note written retrospectively, records Child N was 'nursed in incubator with eye protection insitu. Baby demand bottle feeding' at the start of the shift at 8pm.

3:01pm

Letby is involved in a Whatsapp message conversation with a nurse, and a Facebook messenger conversation with a doctor at this time.
The nurse colleague complains about work colleagues on that night shift.
Letby says she has had a "lovely run of shifts in 3".
"Nice babies and parents"
Letby messages the doctor to say she was planning to go to Torquay with her parents in July 2016, and discusses about her having had hypothyroidism since she was 11, and had 'blips over the past 12 months'.

3:04pm

A nursing note by Jennifer Jones-Key just after 1am on June 15 records Child N had become 'very unsettled' and was 'pale, mottled and veiny' with slight abdominal distension.
A blood test was taken for analysis.
Further observations are taken.

3:07pm

Letby messages her colleague at 5.10am: 'Awake already'
Her colleague replies: "I wouldn't come in!"
Letby: "Oh...why"
The colleague replies: "5 admissions, 1 vent"
LL: "OMG"
Colleague: "Baby [N] screened, looks like s**t"

3:12pm

Jennifer Jones-Key's note before 6am: 'baby looked worst this morning and cap refil after 3 secs. Reviewed again by paeds...'
Letby messages a doctor colleague saying she might be back in '1' again for her next day shift, in nursery room 1.

3:17pm

Lucy Letby is recorded as entering the neonatal unit at 7.10am. She messages the doctor: "No repeat today. I've escaped being in 1, back in 3".
The sequence of events shows Child N had a desaturation at 7.15am.

3:28pm

Jennifer Jones-Key records: 'at 0715 baby crying and dropped saturations - as seen by NNU nurse Lucy [Letby].'

3:31pm

The nurse adds Child N had to be given 100% oxygen support by a doctor.
Child N was transferred to nursery room 1 at 8am.
A note is made on the resiting of the NG Tube - 'NG resited in right nostril with acide reaction. At handover baby dropped saturations and required Neopuff. Care handed over to NNU nurse Lucy Letby'.
Lucy Letby is recorded as being the designated nurse for the day shift on June 15, and records, in a note written retrospectively: 'Infant transferred to nursery 1 on handover. Mottled, desaturating requiring Neopuff and oxygen...cold to touch.'

3:35pm

Lucy Letby records, in a note written at 1.53pm for care at about 9am: 'Unable to intubate - fresh blood noted in mouth and yielded via suction ++.'

3:38pm

Letby messages her colleague on Whatsapp before 10am: 'Thanks for staying to help. Much appreciated.'
Letby records '1ml fresh blood aspirated' from Child N at 10am.

3:42pm

A doctor colleague messages Lucy Letby before 11am to ask: "Is he ok?"
Letby notes, at 11am: 'Small amount of fresh blood orally and 1ml from NG tube'
Letby messages the doctor in response: 'Small amounts of blood from mouth & 1ml from NG. Looks like pulmonary bleed on xray...
"Sorry if I was off during intubation...I like things to be tidy & calm (Well, as much as possible!)"

3:44pm

The doctor responds: "No, you were perfectly fine with me...I thought you were wanting to just get on with in case there was another desat."

3:47pm

Letby replies: 'Well I have got my hair in a bun today, it's only fitting that I was 'serious Lucy' !!'
Letby adds 'no more bleeding thankfully', in relation to Child N.
 
Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Police analyst Claire Hocknell is back in the witness box. She's taking the court through the events of June 15

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Court is being shown records from June 14. Ms Letby was Child N's designated nurse, she says in her notes that the baby boy is ready to go home

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Notes from another nurse, recorded in the early hours of June 15 state that Child N was 'very unsettled', they added that he 'looked very pale, mottled and veiny'

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
1h

Ms Letby came on shift shortly after 7am that morning. A note by another nurse recorded at 7.15am stated 'baby crying and dropped saturations...noticed by nnu nurse lucy'

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
54m

Ms Letby is recorded as being the designated nurse for Child N that day. She says 'Infant transferred to nursery 1 on handover. Mottled, desaturating requiring Neopuff and oxygen...cold to touch.'

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
54m

In another note, written retrospectively, Ms Letby notes that there is 'fresh blood' in the mouth of Child N

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
48m

In a Facebook message to a doctor, who can't be named for legal reasons, sent that morning - Ms Letby says the bleed looks like the result of a 'pulmonary bleed on X-ray'. she says she will 'wait and see' and that 'apnoeas have improved'

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
35m

Sequencing evidence has been paused there. Court now adjourned until tomorrow
 
Mel Barham
@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

Jury now hearing from police analyst Claire Hocknell going through the series of events relating to what the prosecution allege is the 2nd and 3rd time Lucy Letby attempts to murder Baby N. This is a few days later on 14th June 2016

Mel Barham
@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

Jury is shown some WhatsApp and Facebook messages. One exchange is between Lucy Letby and a doctor colleague where she explains to him that she’s been having problems with her thyroid which had been giving her tremors

Mel Barham
@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

A further WhatsApp conversation with a nurse colleague is also shown to jury where the other nurse complains about work colleagues on that night shift. Letby says she has had a "lovely run of shifts in 3" (meaning nursery room 3) "Nice babies and parents"

Mel Barham
@MelBarhamITV
·
1h

Lucy Letby is shown to have entered the neonatal unit for the day shift at 07:10. Baby N’s collapse is recorded as happening at 07:15

Mel Barham

@MelBarhamITV
·
31m

The trial has finished for the day. It will continue hearing evidence about baby N tomorrow
 
Andy Gill

@MerseyHack
·
5h

The trial of nurse Lucy #Letby has heard that she told the mother of one of her alleged victims “I hope he’s alright”, and gave the mum a hug, and maybe even a kiss, after the baby had been stabilised after an alleged attack on him

Nurse #Letby is on trial at Manchester Crown Court, accused of murdering 7 babies and attempting to murder 10 others at The Countess of #Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016. She denies all the charges she faces.

Today the jury have been read statements by the parents of the next alleged victim, a boy known as Baby N. He was born 2 weeks and 3 days prematurely at @TheCountessNHS in June 2016.

The prosecution allege that Lucy #Letby tried on 3 occasions to murder Baby N. He had haemophilia, and the Crown say Ms #Letby thought N’s haemophilia “gave her cover to attack him” because a bleed would be put down to his condition.

The first alleged attempt to kill Baby N happened on the night after he was born by Caesarian section. When N was born his condition was described as “excellent”

The other alleged attempts happened 12 days later

Dr Jennifer Loughnane, who was a paediatric registrar on night shift just after Baby N was born, is now giving evidence. She says N was on the smaller side for a baby of his gestation. (34 weeks and 4 days)

Dr Loughnane says there were no concerns re N other than the blood disorder he had. At 0110 in the morning she was called to see N again. His oxygen had desaturated and he was unsettled. She doesn’t recall who called her or who was there when she arrived at the neo natal unit

She says on her arrival N’s oxygen level had dropped to 40% and he was screaming. She says 40% is a “quite significant desaturation”. She says “screaming” is “not a word I tend to write in notes very often.”

Dr Loughnane had to attend to another emergency. When she returned N was asleep and his breathing had improved

Under cross examination by Ben Myers KC, defending, Dr Loughnane agrees she had to cover a number of departments in
@TheCountessNHS that night, and the staffing was standard for most district general hospitals

Dr Loughnane agrees with Mr Myers that it’s possible to have a correlation between an apparent [blood oxygen] desaturation and a baby being upset

Under re examination by the prosecution Dr Loughnane says she doesn’t recall if any movements of N associated with his screaming would have affected the security of the [blood oxygen] probe [giving an inaccurate reading]. Court adjourns for lunch

In a Facebook message to a doctor about efforts to help Baby N after he collapsed and how another nurse was “faffing”, Lucy #Letby says “I like things to be tidy and calm - or as much as possible.”
 
Prosecution evidence, March 3rd 2023, Day 66 - Tweets https://twitter.com/MrDanDonoghue


Child N

Electronic Evidence Part II continued, 15th June 2016

Nurse Lucy Letby's murder trial continues at Manchester Crown Court this morning. We'll be continuing to hear evidence in relation to Child N. Ms Letby is accused of attempting to murder the premature baby boy on three occasions in June 2016. She denies all charges.

Cheshire Police intelligence analyst Kate Tyndall is taking the jury through sequencing evidence for June 15, when the Crown say Ms Letby twice attacked the boy

Ms Letby's nursing notes from June 15 record that Child N was 'pale/mottled' and required oxygen support

Ms Letby's notes state that Child N's parents had been informed and that they were 'understandably upset'

At 14:50 on June 15, Ms Lebty recorded that Child N had a profound desaturation. Notes state: 'Infant became apnoeic with desat to 44%. heart rate 90bpm. Fresh blood noted from mouth'...minutes later a number of senior medics were crash bleeped to attend the child

Nursing notes record that there was difficulty trying to insert an ET tube. With two doctors failing to 'obtain a secure airway'

Two consultants from the anaesthetic team were called to help, but they also had difficulty fitting an ET tube, the nursing notes show.

Court now being shown messages between Ms Letby and colleagues that evening. A doctor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, asked her if she was okay and told her to cry if she needed to.

Ms Letby responded: 'I’m ok just feel like ive been running around all day and not really achieved anything positive for him….don’t want to cry in front of people here maybe when I’m home'

At the end of her shift, Ms Letby sent a WhatsApp message to a nursing colleague, who also cannot be named, saying: 'Losing the will'

Notes from 19:40 on June 15 show that there was a further 'profound desaturation'. Child N had 'colour loss' and required neopuff breathing support

At 19:48 the baby boy required resuscitation and a number of doses of adrenaline

He eventually stabilised. Ms Letby said in a message to a colleague, who can't be named for legal reasons, that Child N's parents were present and had had the boy christened.

Court has been shown numerous messages between Ms Letby and a doctor, who cannot be named for legal reasons. In one of those messages she asks 'What do you think caused his (Child N's) bleed?'

The doctor responds: 'I think there will be a haemangioma or collection. If it was epiglottitis his crp should have been higher because he was starting to become unwell'

Doctor says he's 'optimistic he'll be okay' Ms Letby responds: 'That's brilliant news, thanks for letting me know' - soon after the boy was discharged from Alder Hey hospital
 
Prosecution evidence, March 3rd 2023, Day 66 - Tweets https://twitter.com/MrDanDonoghue


Child N

Nursery Nurse Jennifer Jones-Key, designated nurse night-shift 14th/15th June 2016

Nursery nurse Jennifer Jones-Key is now in the witness box. She was on a night shift on 14 June 2016 and was Child N's designated nurse along with Neonatal assistant Lisa Walker. They took over Child N's care from Ms Letby, she tells the court there was no concerns on handover

Ms Jones-Key's nursing notes, written retrospectively at 5:51am on 15 June, state that 'just after 1am baby looked very pale mottled and veiny'

She recalls that over that morning Child N 'started to have a few desaturations' and was placed on full monitoring

Ms Jones-Key tells the court that Child N 'settled down' but 'from 7am onwards he was having more desaturations'

The nurse says shortly after 7am, Ms Letby came in to 'say hello'. At that point, she said 'I think the monitor went off, so Lucy went over to see. He went quite pale, I think he’d stopped breathing, I got the neopuff'

She's asked by the prosecutor where Ms Letby was in the room, she doesn't remember. She is asked again why Ms Letby was in the room - 'just to say hello, because we were friends', she says

She doesn't remember any conversation between them. She says the decision was taken to provide respiratory support to Child N . A nursing note from that morning states: 'noted to be mottled all over body and blue in colour and cold to touch'

Cross-Examination

Ben Myers KC, defending, is now questioning the nurse. He asks if Ms Letby was 'quite a good friend', 'Yes' she responds. He asks, in her opinion, if Ms Letby was a 'capable and hard working nurse', she agrees

Mr Myers asks, in her knowledge, whether Ms Letby only gave 'the highest level of care' to the babies she cared for, she responds 'yes definitely’

Mr Myers is referring back to Child N's desaturation that morning, he says essentially Ms Letby said hello to Ms Jones-Key then responded when the baby boy's monitor went off - Ms Jones-Key agrees
 
Prosecution evidence, March 3rd 2023, Day 66 - Tweets https://twitter.com/MrDanDonoghue


Child N

Unnamed Doctor, 15th June 2016

A doctor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is now in the witness box. She was working on June 15. She's taking the court over her notes from that day

The doctor has told the court she remembers the events of that evening and Ms Letby. She said the nurse 'she seemed quite agitated' when a team of specialists arrived from Alder Hey to help with Child N's treatment

'She approached me a few times and said who are these people, who are these people....from working alongside the nurses and doctors at Chester, I felt that it was out of character from what I’d experienced previously in a medical emergency', she said
 
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