UK - Nurse Lucy Letby, Faces 22 Charges - 7 Murder/15 Attempted Murder of Babies #21

[ColourPurple]

Staff 'acutely anxious' about Child P after brother's death
Lucy Letby tells the court Child P became apnoeic after being reviewed by a doctor on the morning of 14 June 2016 and needed intervention.

She says she called for help as the doctor used the Neopuff on him, but doesn't remember if this involved a crash call. He later stabilised.

The former nurse says she doesn't have any independent recollection of Child P's further collapses shortly before 12.30pm and at 3.15pm.

He suffered a "general decline" in his health throughout the day, she tells jurors.

There was an "acute sense of anxiety" on the unit and staff were particularly worried about Child P because of what had happened to Child O the previous day, she says.

"Did you voice concerns that Child P wouldn't make it, or make it out?" asks Ben Myers KC, defence lawyer.

Letby says she doesn't recall making a comment like that but it could "potentially" have happened.

Lucy Letby trial: Facebook searches of nurse accused of murdering babies read out in court

Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse, has been back in court for another day of cross-examination by the prosecution on Friday. She is accused of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of 10 others, and denies all the charges.

news.sky.com

 

[katydid23]

Child P’s condition deteriorated on June 24 as he required CPR on four separate occasions before he was pronounced dead at 4pm.

Lucy Letby 'fainted after she and fellow medics could not revive baby'

NURSE Lucy Letby fainted at work after she and fellow medics could not revive a baby boy, her murder trial has heard.

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

I don't want to lose sight of how serious his condition was that fateful day, right after he had been assessed as a healthy baby, preparing to go home with his triplet brothers.

 

[ColourPurple]

'Harrowing' to think of what triplets' parents went through, Letby says
Following the deaths of Child O and P, Lucy Letby was responsible for providing bereavement support to their parents as the babies' designated nurse.

Asked what kind of support she gave them, Letby says she dressed the two triplets at the parents' request.

"Can you convey to us what the atmosphere was like on the unit, when a second triplet had died like this?" Ben Myers, Letby's defence lawyer, asks.

"It was a completely flat atmosphere, everybody was shocked, devastated," she says.

Recalling how it affected her personally, the former nurse adds: "I was really upset about this, to have [two babies die] two days in a row, to imagine what those parents had gone through to lose two of their babies, it was harrowing."

Lucy Letby trial: Facebook searches of nurse accused of murdering babies read out in court

Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse, has been back in court for another day of cross-examination by the prosecution on Friday. She is accused of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of 10 others, and denies all the charges.

news.sky.com

 

[Tortoise]

1:01pm

The family communication note for Child P, by Letby, is written retrospectively at 10pm.
'I have dressed [Child P] at their request and taken photos of [Child O and Child P] together. Support++ given to parents and extended family. Time spent on lavender suite as a family.'
Letby says the note was written "so late" as she had gone to A&E herself for a needle-stick injury. One of the needles for Child P had pricked her finger, the court hears.
Letby says there was a pathway she had to follow, and she had to take boosters and vaccinations.
She said she was "unwell - I had fainted" - she said from the stress of the day, she hadn't eaten. "The enormity of the past two days had taken its toll."
Letby confirms she completed her notes after her A&E visit, for Child P.
Letby says a doctor she had been messaging had offered her a lift home, having been aware she had gone to A&E, and would be otherwise walking home alone at night.
The doctor gave her a lift, and Letby tells the court he then drove home.
The court is shown handover sheets for June 25, 2016, recovered from Letby's home by police in 2018. Various notes were written on the back of that, the court hears.
Asked to explain why this, and ones for June 23-24, were found at her home: "They have come home in my uniform, and I have not done anything with them."
The handover notes also include other babies Letby was the designated nurse for.
A message from Letby to a doctor on June 23 said: "I lost my handover sheet - found it in the donor milk freezer!! (clearly i should still be in Ibiza)"
Letby is asked to explain a search for the surname of Child O and Child P on June 23, 2017. Letby said the date was the anniversary: "they were on my mind.
"It was such a harrowing eperience seeing parents lose two of their children.
"In two days running, you don't forget something like that."
This note is shown to the court:



The note, the court hears, is a reference to the anniversary of Child O and Child P's death. Letby adds her writing also was how she felt at the time of writing the note.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Wednesday, May 17 - defence continues

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more,…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[Sweeper2000]

can you imagine her saying yes to these questions lol

If she did I can see her not remembering.

 

[Tortoise]

Well, I'm wondering if they might even start cross-examination this afternoon. Baby Q will probably be a quick one, maybe 30 mins after lunch. Wonder if her barrister has anything else to ask her after that though.

 

[WaxLyrical]

Well, I'm wondering if they might even start cross-examination this afternoon. Baby Q will probably be a quick one, maybe 30 mins after lunch. Wonder if her barrister has anything else to ask her after that though.

Are they likely to cover off the period between being taken off the unit and her being arrested, eg the grievance etc, or do we think that was all covered on day 1?

 

[ColourPurple]

1:01pm

The family communication note for Child P, by Letby, is written retrospectively at 10pm.
'I have dressed [Child P] at their request and taken photos of [Child O and Child P] together. Support++ given to parents and extended family. Time spent on lavender suite as a family.'
Letby says the note was written "so late" as she had gone to A&E herself for a needle-stick injury. One of the needles for Child P had pricked her finger, the court hears.
Letby says there was a pathway she had to follow, and she had to take boosters and vaccinations.
She said she was "unwell - I had fainted" - she said from the stress of the day, she hadn't eaten. "The enormity of the past two days had taken its toll."
Letby confirms she completed her notes after her A&E visit, for Child P.
Letby says a doctor she had been messaging had offered her a lift home, having been aware she had gone to A&E, and would be otherwise walking home alone at night.
The doctor gave her a lift, and Letby tells the court he then drove home.
The court is shown handover sheets for June 25, 2016, recovered from Letby's home by police in 2018. Various notes were written on the back of that, the court hears.
Asked to explain why this, and ones for June 23-24, were found at her home: "They have come home in my uniform, and I have not done anything with them."
The handover notes also include other babies Letby was the designated nurse for.
A message from Letby to a doctor on June 23 said: "I lost my handover sheet - found it in the donor milk freezer!! (clearly i should still be in Ibiza)"
Letby is asked to explain a search for the surname of Child O and Child P on June 23, 2017. Letby said the date was the anniversary: "they were on my mind.
"It was such a harrowing eperience seeing parents lose two of their children.
"In two days running, you don't forget something like that."
This note is shown to the court:

View attachment 422867

The note, the court hears, is a reference to the anniversary of Child O and Child P's death. Letby adds her writing also was how she felt at the time of writing the note.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Wednesday, May 17 - defence continues

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more,…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

I know sadly the three dates are only a few days apart but surely it's the anniversary of their birthday not their deaths. The note says "Today is your birthday"

 

[Tortoise]

Are they likely to cover off the period between being taken off the unit and her being arrested, eg the grievance etc, or do we think that was all covered on day 1?

I don't know, I'm not sure if they will delve into that, since it's not related to the charges. Although they did cover her texts about her redeployment and doc choc sending her the confidential email.

I'm hoping she is asked about her timeline for the year that she said she was putting together.

 

[marynnu]

I know sadly the three dates are only a few days apart but surely it's the anniversary of their birthday not their deaths. The note says "Today is your birthday"

I really do not see how any nurse would recollect this date. You'd have to have made a note of it somewhere IMO.

 

[ColourPurple]

I really do not see how any nurse would recollect this date. You'd have to have made a note of it somewhere IMO.

Handover sheets...

 

[Jazmania]

So so far, what notable pieces of evidence hasn't she been asked about by Myers?

Off the top of my head I can think of

1. Some of the inappropriate things she has said to parents like 'You've said your goodbyes now would you like to put your baby in this basket' (I'm paraphrasing). Or reminiscing about the first bath she gave the dead baby and how she loved it. Her seeming excited while offering the mother of O and P a memory box.
2. Myers seems to have glossed over the frequent documentation of odd rashes and whether Letby noticed them.

Anything else?

 

[Marantz4250b]

Handover sheets...

Yes, indeed. Unless she has some extreme memory qualities that leads her to remember literally everything she's ever done; with the hoarding of the hand-over sheets and admitting herself that she has issues throwing stuff away, I'm wondering whether she's some sort of female Sheldon Cooper!

 

[marynnu]

Yes, indeed. Unless she has some extreme memory qualities that leads her to remember literally everything she's ever done; with the hoarding of the hand-over sheets and admitting herself that she has issues throwing stuff away, I'm wondering whether she's some sort of female Sheldon Cooper!

This group is very educational - I now know who Sheldon Cooper is!

 

[Tortoise]

So so far, what notable pieces of evidence hasn't she been asked about by Myers?

Off the top of my head I can think of

1. Some of the inappropriate things she has said to parents like 'You've said your goodbyes now would you like to put your baby in this basket' (I'm paraphrasing). Or reminiscing about the first bath she gave the dead baby and how she loved it. Her seeming excited while offering the mother of O and P a memory box.
2. Myers seems to have glossed over the frequent documentation of odd rashes and whether Letby noticed them.

Anything else?

Just had an interesting thought - are the prosecution allowed to cross-examine her about specific things the defence hasn't asked her?

 

[Tortoise]

2:09pm

The trial will resume shortly. Mr Myers will be asking Lucy Letby questions in the case of Child Q, the final of the 17 babies in the trial. Child Q, a baby boy, was born on June 22, 2016, weighing 2,076g.

2:21pm

Child Q was born at 31 weeks and 3 days gestation at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Mr Myers tells the court there was one event for Child Q on the morning of June 25, vomiting, desaturation, bradycardia, with "air++" aspirated from the NG Tube.
A doctor gave a diagnosis of "probable NEC" the following day and Child Q was transferred to Alder Hey on June 27, returning to the Countess of Chester Hospital the following day.
A handover sheet for June 28, 2016 is shown to the court, in which Lucy Letby is deisngated nurse for three babies, not Child Q, that day, in room 3.
Letby said she was "drained and emotionally exhausted" by June 25, following the events for Child O and Child P.
A day shift for June 25 is shown. Rebecca Morgan is on duty as a student nurse. Letby tells the court she was no longer the mentor as she had said she could not give her that time to do so, and so Ms Morgan was overseen by other nurses.
Letby is the designated nurse for Child Q in room 2 and a baby in room 1.
Letby tells the court: "You'd have to split yourself between the nurseries" when given designated care for two babies in two different nursery rooms.
Nursing notes for June 24-25: '...[Child Q] self ventilating in air...feet pink and warm. New lipid syringe put up overnight...having trophic feeds of donor ebm, 0.5mls 2 hourly due to moderate aspirates. Abdomen full but soft.'
Letby says the 'trophic feeds' are to get a baby's digestive system going. The aspirates indicated Child Q was not ready to tolerate larger feeds yet.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Wednesday, May 17 - defence continues

The trial of Lucy Letby, who denies murdering seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit and attempting to murder 10 more,…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[ColourPurple]

Defence moves to final alleged victim
Lucy Letby's defence barrister is now moving to the former nurse's 17th and final alleged victim - Child Q, a boy, who the former nurse is accused of attempting to murder.

The prosecution alleges that Letby injected him with air during a day shift on 25 June 2016.

He deteriorated shortly after 9am and needed breathing assistance but recovered through the day; however, staff noted he looked tired towards the evening.

He was transferred to a different hospital on 26 June over the possibility of needing surgery, where he "quickly stabilised", before returning to the Countess of Chester Hospital on 28 June.

Letby denies she attempted to murder the Child Q - as well as all other charges.

Lucy Letby trial: Facebook searches of nurse accused of murdering babies read out in court

Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse, has been back in court for another day of cross-examination by the prosecution on Friday. She is accused of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of 10 others, and denies all the charges.

news.sky.com

 

[Jazmania]

Just had an interesting thought - are the prosecution allowed to cross-examine her about specific things the defence hasn't asked her?

I don't know, I would have thought so as long as it relates to things that have already appeared as evidence. They could question her about things she said in her police interviews couldn't they?

 

[Marantz4250b]

Just had an interesting thought - are the prosecution allowed to cross-examine her about specific things the defence hasn't asked her?

I was wondering that the other day. My feeling is no. The reasoning behind that thinking is that, logically, you can't be "cross examined" on something you haven't said to begin with.

 

[Marantz4250b]

I don't know, I would have thought so as long as it relates to things that have already appeared as evidence. They could question her about things she said in her police interviews couldn't they?

Can they, though? Maybe in relation to specific things she's said on the stand which they claim don't match. Aren't the police interviews "agreed evidence, though? That would suggest that they can't now go on a fishing expedition trying to drag up anomalies on the stuff her defence hasn't asked her about, one would think?