UK - Nurse Lucy Letby, Faces 22 Charges - 7 Murder/15 Attempted Murder of Babies #26

[Tortoise]

Thank you, Tortoise...awful stuff again.
As a latecomer to the full details of this case, what strikes me very forcibly from this closing speech by NJ KC that I hadn't fully grasped before is the use he makes of the alleged (and very convincing) falsifications of the notes.

The work put in has been phenomenal.

I can't imagine the nightmare it must have been for experts first reviewing the cases with no knowledge that some of the notes were (allegedly) complete fabrications. And yet they still came to the conclusions, independently, that these were unexpected or unexplained deteriorations, not backed up by tests for infection etc.

JMO

 

[Tortoise]

@Tortoise - Will I continue with Dan's or do you want to?

It depends if you would like to?

 

[notsure]

https://twitter.com/MrDanDonoghue

Mr Johnson is summarising the expert evidence in relation to Child I - he says this concluded that she died as a result of an injection of air.

'Lucy Letby made repeated and asserted efforts to kill (Child I)'
12:16 PM · Jun 22, 2023

He says Ms Letby's 'behaviour in the aftermath (of Child I's death) was bizarre and inappropriate, she was excited because she had killed yet another child, she revelled in what she had done'
12:17 PM · Jun 22, 2023

Mr Johnson is now moving to Child J. She was born prematurely at the Countess of Chester in late October 2015 and transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool on 1 November as she had a bowel condition which required surgery.
12:19 PM · Jun 22, 2023

She returned to Chester on 10 November, where she remained stable until 27 November, when she suffered two unexplained seizures within a half-hour period.
12:19 PM · Jun 22, 2023

A medical expert for the prosecution said her collapse could be "consistent with some form of obstruction of her airways, such as smothering"
12:19 PM · Jun 22, 2023

 

[notsure]

It depends if you would like to?

I have to go for lunch shortly, but could continue after if necessary

 

[Tortoise]

12:17pm

Dr Evans says this was "another" case, in Child I, receiving air administered. He thought the nature of the collapse, the crying, the prolonged resuscitation, and the purple and white discolouration, were all symptoms of air embolus. There was no account of natural disease.
Dr Bohin said the cause of death was air embolus - from the unexpected catastrophic collapse, Child I being unsettled and agitated, the 'extremely unusual' crying meaning Child I was in excruciating pain.
In cross-examination, Dr Bohin was asked if she had a coherent explanation for an air embolus. Mr Johnson said Dr Bohin's answer, without hesitation, lasted for about 10 minutes. She was asked about Child I's poor weight gain, and Dr Bohin said that did not make her more likely to have a cardiac arrest [as Child I had].
Prof Arthurs said it was 'unusual' to see the amount of dilation in Child I's stomach. He excluded CPAP belly as a cause. He said it was "reasonable to infer" air administered.
Dr Marnerides said at the time of Child I's death, she had no acute illnesses or abnormalities in the bowel, other than presence of air. The presence of gas had "no pathological cause". He said the collapses were air administered from the NG Tube.
Mr Johnson says Child I's case is a "stark one". He says Letby made repeated efforts to kill Child I, and falsified notes both for Child I and another baby. She 'gave herself away' in the event with Ashleigh Hudson.
"Lucy Letby's behaviour in the aftermath [of Child I's death] was bizarre and inappropriate. She revelled in what she had done."
"Her voyeuristic tendencies caused her to look up [Child I's mother] on Facebook."
"Having killed her [Child I], she wrote a condolence card. It was still on her phone when it was seized by the police."

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 22 - prosecution closing speech

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…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

12:23pm

Mr Johnson details the case of Child J.
He says when Letby was giving evidence in this case, she said band 4 nurses [nursery nurses] cannot do intensive care or high dependency babies, or handling of stomas.
Letby said the unit was very busy as an explanation why a band 4 nurse was caring for Child J.
Mr Johnson says the implication of that exchange was to give that Child J received incompetent care, and staffing levels were compromised.
Letby had messaged a colleague on November 19, 2015: "It's shocking really that they are willing to take on the responsibility for things that they have no training or experience etc on. Don't think they appreciate the potential difficulties"
Mr Johnson says the jury will remember witnesses had been cross-examined about nursing guidelines. He says the part that was never quoted was the bit about stomas. The care, shown to the court, says special care day nurses can include care of a stoma.
Mr Johnson says that whole evidence "was designed to mislead you".
"It's the same type of behaviour that Lucy Letby engaged in with her colleagues."

12:26pm

Mr Johnson says Child J had no respiratory difficulties and was being bottle fed, and did not need respiratory support, and was in room 4.
Nurse Nicola Dennison said Child J was 'getting ready to go home' with a stoma by November 26, 2015. She wrote in notes that Child J was 'stable'.
Child J's mother left at the end of the day, intending to return at 8am the following day, but received an emergency call overnight.
Letby was in room 3, designated nurse for two babies that night shift. Nicola Dennison was the designated nurse for Child J and one other baby in room 4.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 22 - prosecution closing speech

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…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

12:32pm

Child J desaturated at 4.40am on November 27.
Mary Griffiths was working in room 2. She said in evidence Child J was a 'joy to look after', and described the first desaturation, which she and Nicola Dennison dealed with. The desaturation was "alarmingly low".
Ms Dennison said, after cross-examination, Child J collapsed after her feed.
Dr Kalyilil Verghese recorded the shift was busy. Twins had been admitted to room 1 at 6.10am.
He said he reviewed Child J once, and all information was given to him by nursing staff. He noted there had been 'two profound desaturations', timed at 5.15am.
Child J was moved to nursery 2 when the designated nurse was Mary Griffith. Mr Johnson says Letby was then involved in care of babies in room 2, despite her designated babies being in room 3.

12:34pm

Letby had said, in a text, the unit was 'closed' trying to get someone in. At 6.49am she messaged 'It's all a bit t**s up'
Mr Johnson says resources had been diverted to room 1, and this was the "perfect opportunity" for Letby to attack Child J.
At 6.56am, Child J collapsed.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 22 - prosecution closing speech

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…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

12:42pm

Mr Johnson says Child J's saturations dropped, as did Child J's heart rate.
Mary Griffith noted '[Child J's] monitor went off at 0650 myself and L Letby attended. Found baby with pale hands and baby very rigid. Sats went to 7 and heart rate to 68. [Child J] neopuffed with little improvement....Dr Gibbs on unit and called to help. neopuff continued for 16 mins until sats improved.'
Mr Johnson says this was a serious enough incident for the consultant to be called.
A glucose bolus was started at 7.20am, which Mr Johnson says was administered by Letby. At 7.40am, according to nursing notes, Child J desaturated again, and her fists were clenched, her eyes were rolling to the left, and Letby got involved again.
Dr Gibbs recorded at 7.35am: 'Two seizures' - he said he remembered Mary Griffith and Lucy Letby were there when he arrived. A seizure was 'reasonably long', about '10 minutes'.
Mr Johnson says prior to these events, Child J had never had a seizure, and she had not had one since. She "recovered very well" afterwards. He adds blood tests were normal and showed no signs of infection, and a brain scan showed no abnormality, nor in an x-ray.
Dr Gibbs said an oxygen drop was the reason for the seizure, but could not find a reason for the oxygen drop.
Dr Stephen Brearey said there "was no explanation" for the deteriorations.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 22 - prosecution closing speech

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…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

12:46pm

Dr Evans said there was no marker of infection for Child J. He said if there had been, the recovery would not have been so quick. He agreed there had been a lack of oxygen, and it had not been an epileptic seizure.
Dr Bohin said babies who are ready to go home do not have collapses which require prolonged resuscitation and a quick recovery.
Mr Johnson says the cause of collapses "bear all the hallmarks" of an attack by Lucy Letby.
He said Child J was "prospering" prior to the attacks, and the attack happened while the unit was distracted by two emergency admissions. He says at that time, when it was 'all hands to the pump', Letby was on her phone.
He says Letby stopped texting seven minutes before Child J's collapse.
Letby's suggestion that she had little memory of the event is "not realistic", Mr Johnson says, as that night was punctuated by two emergency admissions to the unit.
He says Letby "was running with the I don't remember line to avoid answering questions."
He says Letby searched for Child J's parents, which is 'inexplicable', other than through an 'unnatural interest in them'.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 22 - prosecution closing speech

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…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

12:50pm

Mr Johnson moves to the case of Child N.
He says Child N was sabotaged by Lucy Letby as he was getting ready to go home.
The first incident was "characteristic of Lucy Letby's handiwork", Mr Johnson says.
Dr [my note - nurse] Christopher Booth had gone on a break.
Mr Johnson suggests Letby was "in her least favourite room" that day, in nursery 4, with 'only' two babies, and had time on her hands by texting about Melanie Taylor's shortcomings and a male doctor.
He says that includes the 'go commando' comment, which he says Letby lied about not knowing its meaning.
NJ: "If she's not even prepared to tell you the truth on something so trivial, what is she prepared to tell you the truth about?"

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 22 - prosecution closing speech

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…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

Dan O'Donoghue
@MrDanDonoghue
·
4m


Mr Johnson is now moving to Child N. He says the baby boy's collapse was a result of Ms Letby 'sabotaging' him

Dan O'Donoghue
@MrDanDonoghue
·
2m


Child N was born with a blood disorder, which made him prone to bleeding, in early June 2016, but his condition was described as "excellent" by medics.

Dan O'Donoghue
@MrDanDonoghue
·
2m


The prosecution said the disorder gave Ms Letby "cover" to attack him and his three deteriorations in June 2016 were consistent with some kind of "inflicted injury" or him having received an injection of air.

Dan O'Donoghue
@MrDanDonoghue
·
1m


Mr Johnson says on 2 June 2016, Ms Letby was on the unit with 'time on her hands' and points to the number of messages she was exchanging with a colleague and friend at that time

Dan O'Donoghue
@MrDanDonoghue
·
1m


The court has previously heard that in those messages, Ms Letby told a friend she had received a “strange” message from a male colleague, who cannot be named. The friend replied: “Did u? Saying what?” then suggested the doctor had suggested Letby “go commando”

Dan O'Donoghue
@MrDanDonoghue
·
42s


Mr Johnson points out that when Letby was asked about the 'go commando' comment, she said she 'didn't understand' what that meant...he says if she is not prepared to tell the truth over something as trivial as that, 'what do you think she is prepared to tell you the truth about'

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
7s


Mr Johnson says Ms Letby was 'excited' about having Child N on the unit and in messages to colleagues she mentioned the boy's blood disorder

 

[Tortoise]

12:57pm

Mr Johnson says Letby's interviews are "very revealing" in relation to the texts in the case of Child N. He refers to the 2020 police interview.
Letby was asked if she knew Child N had haemophilia. She replied she didn't know. Mr Johnson says that was a lie, as there was a handover sheet in the 'Morrisons bag' at her home which documented Child N had haemophilia.
On June 2, 2016, Letby was recorded caring for two babies in room 4, including giving a feed to one of the babies, a 50ml feed to a baby who was asleep. Mr Johnson says it would take 15-20 minutes. He says the 2030 time could mean any time between 2015-2045.
Mr Johnson says the 'keypad on Lucy Letby's phone must have been hot' as Letby was texting constantly at this time.
He says it is accepted people do text at work, but giving an NG Tube feed is a two-handed process, and "you can't do that if you're texting at the same time".
He says there are 41 text messages in the conversation, and that "cannot be done" if you are giving, "in the proper way", an NG Tube feed.
Mr Johnson says Letby was asked about this, how it could be done: LL: "You can't."
Mr Johnson had told Letby there was one method of administering a feed quickly.
Letby added: "You think I pushed it in?"
NJ: "That's what you were doing, wasn't it?
LL: "No."

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 22 - prosecution closing speech

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…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

Letby was asked if she knew Child N had haemophilia. She replied she didn't know.

What?????

This is astounding. She even texted about it, Googled it, and texted about giving him Factor 8.

I can only think she had forgotten she'd texted about it and police would have her texts to compare her answers to.

 

[Tortoise]

1:05pm

Designated nurse Christopher Booth said, for the incident, he went for a break around 1am on June 3. Sophie Ellis was giving a feed at the time and had only a vague memory of child N, and had a number of designated babies that night. Melanie Taylor was making an entry on a fluid balance chart and had no memory of Child N. Valerie Thomas was a nursery nurse who would not have been in room 1. Mr Johnson says the process of elimination was it was Lucy Letby who was in room 1, as she wasn't recorded doing anything at that time.
Dr Jennifer Loughnane noted Child N was 'unsettled' and desaturations had gone to 40%, and he was 'dusky and mottled'. He was "screaming".
Mr Johnson says Dr Loughnane sat back in the witness box when reading the word 'screaming'. Mr Johnson says he asked Letby if she remembered Dr Loughnane doing that, and she said she did.
Dr Evans said the 30-min crying was unusual, as was the speed of decline. He could think of no naturally occurring or innocent cause.
Dr Bohin said the desaturation was 'life-threatening', and there was 'nothing to suggest it was an innocent event', and there 'must have been an inflicted painful stimulus' to cause a life-threatening collapse.
Mr Johnson says that same kind of injury was inflicted by Letby on Child O, 20 days later, causing a liver injury. He says this attack happened on a baby who was perfectly well just after the designated nurse had gone on a break.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, June 22 - prosecution closing speech

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…

www.chesterstandard.co.uk

Dan O'Donoghue

@MrDanDonoghue
·
6m


Mr Johnson tells the jury that there is 'nothing in the records to suggest an innocent event' with Child N. He quotes expert, Dr Bohin, that Child N had an 'inflicted painful stimulus' to cause his collapse

 

[Tortoise]

Mr Johnson had told Letby there was one method of administering a feed quickly.
Letby added: "You think I pushed it in?"

There's something about this answer that I find so alarming but I can't quite describe what it is.

I wonder if it is the attitude of it, that makes it seem like she's not thinking of feeding a baby, even though we know that Mr Johnson was alluding to it anyway. So maybe it's the callous way she answered about a callous act.

 

[MachinaCollecta]

Guessing we’re on a lunch break at the moment.

I’m just horrified by everything to be honest. Truly monstrous if guilty, IMO.

 

[Music2022]

When the trial is over will we know if BM had defence witnesses that were stopped from testifying? And for what reason.

 

[GoodDayToYouSir]

There's something about this answer that I find so alarming but I can't quite describe what it is.

I wonder if it is the attitude of it, that makes it seem like she's not thinking of feeding a baby, even though we know that Mr Johnson was alluding to it anyway. So maybe it's the callous way she answered about a callous act.

I don’t know why she refused to admit to texting in the actual rooms. And it doesn’t need 2 hands to do a feed, does it? Once you’ve set up the feed (2 hands), you then just need to hold it up and let gravity take over (which requires one hand). So you could be holding the feed while it drips in and texting with the other hand.

I don’t get why she didn’t say that or why it would have been so bad to admit to texting in the wards (given the many worse things she was being accused of).

 

[Diddly1]

Her evil barbarity was like a monstrous malignancy crawling through the unit. The ferocity makes society condemn perpetrators like this if found guilty MOO

 

[Tortoise]

I don’t know why she refused to admit to texting in the actual rooms. And it doesn’t need 2 hands to do a feed, does it? Once you’ve set up the feed (2 hands), you then just need to hold it up and let gravity take over (which requires one hand). So you could be holding the feed while it drips in and texting with the other hand.

I don’t get why she didn’t say that or why it would have been so bad to admit to texting in the wards (given the many worse things she was being accused of).

Perhaps because there would be about a billion germs on her hands showing she was not hygienic and all that she accused the smoking doctor of, I would think.