UK - Nurse Lucy Letby Faces 22 Charges - 7 Murder/15 Attempted Murder of Babies #6

[JosieJo]

I'm pretty sure they did, didn't they?

I definitely remember him bringing it up ..I'm not sure he went as far to say ...you changed your mind because LL wasn't on duty ..which would have been very powerful imo
Unless it just wasn't reported

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

10:35am

The trial is now resuming, with intelligence analyst Claire Hocknell returning to provide a walkthrough for the jury on neonatal unit evidence.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

 

[Imnothere]

10:46am

The chart being shown to the court is the neonatal review schedule, showing when electronic records are made, including e-prescriptions, with Lucy Letby's name highlighted on the chart.
Nicholas Johnson KC, for the prosecution, highlights the three 'infusion started' notes, each one of them happening before Child D's collapses. Lucy Letby and Caroline Oakley are the two nurses to sign for the medication and administering the infusion.

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

10:46am

The chart being shown to the court is the neonatal review schedule, showing when electronic records are made, including e-prescriptions, with Lucy Letby's name highlighted on the chart.
Nicholas Johnson KC, for the prosecution, highlights the three 'infusion started' notes, each one of them happening before Child D's collapses. Lucy Letby and Caroline Oakley are the two nurses to sign for the medication and administering the infusion.

10:48am

The neonatal unit review chart also shows a long list of clinical notes made following the final collapse, made by doctors, regarding the efforts to try and save Child D's life, before ultimately the decision is made to discontinue resuscitation efforts and record the time of death at 4.25am on June 22, 2015.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

 

[Tortoise]

I definitely remember him bringing it up ..I'm not sure he went as far to say ...you changed your mind because LL wasn't on duty ..which would have been very powerful imo
Unless it just wasn't reported

I think it shows his independence and objectivity. He didn't know the shift patterns and wasn't working with a suspect in mind. If his conclusion is that deliberately administered air was a contributory factor in the collapse and death on the 13th/14th it makes sense to me that he would be suspicious also of a lot of air showing in an x-ray of the stomach and bowel from the 12th. JMO

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

10:58am

Ben Myers KC, for Letby's defence, asks about a note which said Letby administered to a baby 'whose location is unconfirmed [as recorded on a map of the neonatal unit for that night]' on the night of June 21. Letby was a designated nurse for that baby, and two babies in room 1, that night.
Mr Myers asks about Lucy Letby and Caroline Oakley administering medication to a number of different of babies that night. Claire Hocknell confirms the records.

11:00am

Mr Johnson asks to clarify the map which includes the detail about the baby 'whose location is unconfirmed' - he tells the court Letby was initially the designated nurse for that baby until 10.45pm that night on June 21, and then care was passed to a different nurse.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

11:17am

Caroline Oakley is now being called to give evidence. In June 2015, she was employed as a senior neonatal unit nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Mrs Oakley confirms she would at times be a shift leader, and would look after the people on that shift, not necessarily working with managers.

11:18am

She confirms she had direct involvement with Child D on the night shift from June 21-22, and was her designated nurse during that shift.

11:25am

Mrs Oakley says she does not recall which nurses were designated nurses for which babies that night.
Her nursing note, written retrospectively at 4.46am on June 22 for the night shift, is presented to the court.
The note records, at the handover, 'lower limbs dusky and feet bruised. Doctors aware. Feet cool to slightly warm. Observations satisfactory.'
Mrs Oakley added Child D was 'nursed on CPAP in air. antibiotics given as prescribed.'

11:26am

Mrs Oakley tells the court Child D was not pink yet, and might have been sampled with heel pricks, which could make the feet bruised.
She said it was something to monitor, but was not a concern at that stage, and those observations had been relayed to doctors.

11:28am

The nurse said Child D's circulation was not "100 per cent brilliant" at that point, but this was common in newborn babies.
The note records Child D was reviewed by Dr Andrew Brunton.
The decision was made to 'commence feeds and increase as tolerated', with expressed breast milk.
Blood gas readings taken at 11.52pm and 1.14am were 'satisfactory'.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

11:31am

Mrs Oakley said she remembered "being very happy with her" at that point of the night shift. While Child D was an intensive care patient in the neonatal unit, she was 'only requiring a little assistance' with breathing, and she was "stable".

11:35am

The observation chart for Child D for that night shift is shown to the court, which shows Caroline Oakley's initials signing hourly observation readings.
The heart rate, respiration rate and temperature are recorded.
Child D's heart rate says for the first few hours, the heart rate was "completely normal" up to 12.30am. It had peaked at 1.15am, but could have been after handling and/or a nappy change, Mrs Oakley tells the court.
She said that reading was "still within normal parameters".

11:36am

The respiration rate was at the "upper end of what would be considered ideal", but was still within normal parameters, Mrs Oakley adds.
The temperature readings are also "completely normal" with "no high temperature".

11:43am

A further observation chart records the readings made for Child D being on CPAP.
The chart recorded Child D did not require oxygen support at this stage, having been taken off that in the early hours of June 21.
The oxygen saturation levels were '100', which meant Child D was "breathing beautifully".

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

11:51am

Another intensive care chart is shown to the court, showing fluids administered during the evening and night of June 21.
A 'minimal' amount of 'acidic' aspirates is recorded from the stomach in the evening.
It was followed by 'mostly clear' aspirates, with occasional darker bits.
Mrs Oakley says there was "nothing" she was "worried about" from those readings.

11:54am

The neonatal infusion prescription chart at 1.25am is shown to the court.
It is signed by Caroline Oakley and Lucy Letby.
Mrs Oakley says usually the nurse looking after the baby will administer it.
She confirms the two signatures made, showing they had checked the fluid.
Mrs Oakley adds: "I would presume that I connected the fluid".

11:58am

At 1.30am, nurse Oakley's notes record: 'called to nursery by senior nurse...and senior nurse Letby; [Child D] had desaturated to 70s, required oral suction as was bubbly and had lost colour. Discolourations to skin observed; trunk/legs/arm/chin. Dr Brunton called to review'.
Mrs Oakley says she remembers being on her break at 1am-2am, so was in the resuscitation room where staff had their breaks. She said she had been gone because Child D was poorly.
The prosecution ask about the timing of the 1.25am medication, and if the nurse can account for that. Mrs Oakley says she cannot.
She says: "To the best of my knowledge, I remember going on my break, and remember being called back.
"I had only been gone half an hour, and had been happy with her before I left.
"I remember saying: 'What's happening?'"

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

12:00pm

Asked about the note, Mrs Oakley said the 'bubbly' bit is for bubbly saliva.
She says she does not remember specifically the exact rash discolouration, but "hadn't seen it before - it was dark, it was unusual, and the rash struck me."
Asked to expand on that, she says: "I haven't seen that rash before on a baby I have looked after. To the best of my knowledge, in my years of neonates (over 20), no."

12:01pm

Mrs Oakley adds: "It was unusual, I had not seen it before, and probably struggled to describe it. It was a deep red-brown...different from mottling, different from what I'd seen before."
She says sometimes babies can look 'generally white' with a 'mottled all over' appearance, whereas this was a rash 'in specific places'.

12:02pm

She says: "It was just different from what I'd seen before, that's what stayed with me."

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

 

[Tortoise]

11:58am

Mrs Oakley says she remembers being on her break at 1am-2am, so was in the resuscitation room where staff had their breaks. She said she had been gone because Child D was poorly.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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'm wondering if this part of the reporting is accurate. I can't make sense of it. Especially with this part written just after:

"I had only been gone half an hour, and had been happy with her before I left."

 

[FruitTingles]

I'm wondering if this part of the reporting is accurate. I can't make sense of it. Especially with this part written just after:

"I had only been gone half an hour, and had been happy with her before I left."

Because Mrs Oakley was quoted as saying "I had only been gone half an hour, and had been happy with her before I left” ?

 

[Tortoise]

Because Mrs Oakley was quoted as saying "I had only been gone half an hour, and had been happy with her before I left” ?

No, the part in the post I was quoting - "Mrs Oakley says she remembers being on her break at 1am-2am, so was in the resuscitation room where staff had their breaks. She said she had been gone because Child D was poorly."

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

I'm wondering if this part of the reporting is accurate. I can't make sense of it. Especially with this part written just after:

"I had only been gone half an hour, and had been happy with her before I left."

Same, it makes little sense to me "She said she had been gone because Child D was poorly." is direct from the Chester standard but may be corrected later on today as the texts were yesterday. I'll keep an eye out/check another live report stream for clarity


EDIT: I checked another live report HERE and it was exactly the same wording. Very likely it will be clarified/corrected later as it makes no sense. If anyone has seen another live report saying different please let me know

 

[Kemug]

4:24pm

The colleague replies: "Yeah, just would treatment sooner have made a difference."
Letby asks her colleague if Child D had a lumbar puncture.
The colleague replies she was not sure it ever got done, given that the baby girl was ill and had been on CPAP.
She adds her gas reading was "appalling" when she first came through to the unit.

4:25pm

Letby, in her response, says: "I think we did what we could."
She then refers to the condition of the mother of Child D.
The court hears at 9.51pm on June 25, Letby searched for both the parents' names of Child D on Facebook.

4:36pm

Towards the end of June, Letby sent a message to a colleague: "Work has been awful."
The colleague responds: "Oh dear. Staffing probe?"
Letby, in her response, says: "We have had three unexpected deaths," adding the unit is "full".
She adds: "What I have seen has really hit me tonight."
The colleague asks: "Have you worked today?"
Letby: "No, been off since Wednesday morning and now it has all hit me."
The colleague asks if Letby tries "talking to a proper counsellor".
Letby replies that she does not think she can.
The colleague: "Why not?"
Letby: "I can't talk about it now...I can't stop crying...I just need to get it out of my system."
The colleague advises Letby to think carefully what to do, before adding: "Maybe you need to take time off."
Letby: "Work is always my priority," adding she had not cried about the incidents until then.

LIVE: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, November 3

I really can't tell if she's genuine, or playing the sympathy card.

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

12:03pm

The nursing note adds: 'Satuartions to 100% and O2 weaned to air. Observations satisfactory."
Mrs Oakley said she couldn't recall who was doing what, but the oxygen was turned up on the CPAP machine, and Child D responded.

12:09pm

The note adds: "Dr Newby called in to review; fluids increased..." and a number of drugs and solutions were administered and prescribed.
The note adds: "Discolourations resolved. [Abdominal x-ray] taken satisfactory. Continue supportive treatment [ie antibiotics]. Maintain UVC [ie don't take it out]. Decision to speak to parents later as [Child D] stable and doctors required on paediatrics. Repeat gas good."

Mrs Oakley confirms the rash-like appearance had 'resolved' between 1.30am and after the doctor's review.

She says Child D had had an episode but had responded "quickly" and "normal parameters" had resumed within an hour.
As Child D was "very stable again", and the doctors were "busy", the decision was made to let the parents rest and inform them in the morning.

12:15pm

Mrs Oakley is asked to put into context further observation readings at 2.30am for Child D, which had "returned to normal".
She says they would be considered "stable".

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

 

[notsure]

I really can't tell if she's genuine, or playing the sympathy card.

It's hard to tell, especially as we're only shown snippets of her texts, possibly chosen by the prosecution to support their case. With the added complication that they aren't being reported verbatim by the journalists present.

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

12:21pm

A 1.30am fluids reading records 'nil by mouth' at the time for Child D, along with 'oral secretion ++' for aspirates.

12:24pm

The fluids chart also notes what Mrs Oakley believes is a task carried out for Child D by Lucy Letby at 1.05am, which she said would have been noted retrospectively, as Mrs Oakley would have started her break at this time.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

I will be away from 12:30-1pm on my lunch break, if anyone would like to take over live updates. If not I can catch up on my return

 

[ShineOn]

11:51am

Another intensive care chart is shown to the court, showing fluids administered during the evening and night of June 21.
A 'minimal' amount of 'acidic' aspirates is recorded from the stomach in the evening.
It was followed by 'mostly clear' aspirates, with occasional darker bits.
Mrs Oakley says there was "nothing" she was "worried about" from those readings.

11:54am

The neonatal infusion prescription chart at 1.25am is shown to the court.
It is signed by Caroline Oakley and Lucy Letby.
Mrs Oakley says usually the nurse looking after the baby will administer it.
She confirms the two signatures made, showing they had checked the fluid.
Mrs Oakley adds: "I would presume that I connected the fluid".

11:58am

At 1.30am, nurse Oakley's notes record: 'called to nursery by senior nurse...and senior nurse Letby; [Child D] had desaturated to 70s, required oral suction as was bubbly and had lost colour. Discolourations to skin observed; trunk/legs/arm/chin. Dr Brunton called to review'.
Mrs Oakley says she remembers being on her break at 1am-2am, so was in the resuscitation room where staff had their breaks. She said she had been gone because Child D was poorly.
The prosecution ask about the timing of the 1.25am medication, and if the nurse can account for that. Mrs Oakley says she cannot.
She says: "To the best of my knowledge, I remember going on my break, and remember being called back.
"I had only been gone half an hour, and had been happy with her before I left.
"I remember saying: 'What's happening?'"

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Friday, November 4

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

This part (BBM) is confusing to me. Mrs Oakley was on her break in the resuscitation room from 01:00 and signed for the infusion prescription at 01:25. Does that mean she wasn't present when it was administered? Or maybe this was this when she was called back?