UK - Nurse Lucy Letby Faces 22 Charges - 7 Murder/15 Attempted Murder of Babies #8

[LadyEdgeworth]

3:04pm

In a second statement, she said she was asked about the feeding of Child G, and how she had been taught to feed her baby daughter via a syringe, in a way she did not receive too much milk too quickly.
She said sometimes she would be allowed to feed via the syringe, but Lucy Letby "always held the syringe" during feeding time.

3:08pm

A statement from Child G's father is read out to the court.
He said there had been concerns at week 9 of the pregnancy when the mother began bleeding, and they feared there might be a miscarriage. The mother was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital where the baby was seen to be doing fine in a scan, and the mother stayed there until the bleeding stopped.
The mother began bleeding again later in the pregnancy and was transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital by ambulance. The father drove himself to the hospital.
He left the mother at the hospital at 8-9pm, and later received a phone call to say the mother had gone into labour and given birth.
He said he jumped into the car and drove to the hospital. Child G was 'stable' and the parents went to see her in the ITU. The mother had to be wheeled in.
The father says Child G was not due to give birth until September 21 and had "only a 5% chance of survival".

3:10pm

The father said Child G was "no bigger than your hand..[she] looked like a tiny person."
Child G was kept in for 11 weeks at Arrowe Park and although "they thought she was going to die", with her having "ups and downs" and underdeveloped lungs, she was "much more stable after a couple of weeks".
He said he only picked her up for the first time when she weighed 2lb, "as she was so small".

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, December 1

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]

It's so heartbreaking today.

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

3:18pm

Child G had 'regular ultrasounds' to check for brain development, which showed no brain bleeds, and all scans showed "she was normal".
She was "stable enough" to be transferred to the Countess of Chester Hospital, in the HDU.
When there, the mother would ring twice a day, and stay at the neonatal unit during the day. The father said he would collect the mother at 5.30pm, they would go home for tea, then he would go back to the hospital until about 10-11pm.
He says he never saw anything in that time where a doctor or nurse was acting unprofessionally, nor did he have any concerns. There were "no problems" until Child G was 100 days old.

3:25pm

The father said on day 99, Child G required a low amount of oxygen for breathing assistance, had been fed and was "settled; she was fine when I left".
The parents got a phone call in the early hours of September 7 from a nurse to say Child G had vomited and aspirated. The nurse said there was "no need to rush", but the parents went to hospital "immediately".

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, December 1

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]

It's so heartbreaking today.

I know, I'm trying not to let the sheer amount of evidence become just a copy paste exercise and become desensitised to what we're reading. It's just heart-breaking, and the parents have all shown tremendous bravery to get justice for their children.

 

[Sundial]

2:53pm

Child G turned 100 days old and Lucy Letby was looking after her that day.
"When we got to the hospital, she was in intensive care...it was such a shock and it looked like she was going to die."
Child G was taken back to Arrowe Park for nine days, before returning to Chester in the HDU.
Child G got sick again, and had to return to the intensive care unit.
She "looked different" - and after brain scans, it was said she would just be 'a little clumsy'.

3:00pm

The mum adds she had gone to get a coffee and when she went back to the high-dependency unit, Child G was "freaking out". Lucy Letby was there with another nurse.
She said she told them she wanted to hold Child G as that would calm her down, and did so.
Child G went to the intensive treatment unit that day.
There were three times, she aid, Child G was transferred to the ITU.
She said she would always ring the hospital twice a day - once at 6am and one at 7-8pm; the latter to find out who would be looking after the baby girl that night.
During the day, she would stay with Child G at the hospital.
When Child G came home in November 2015, at 156 days old, she had been left with quadraplegic cerebral palsy and was visually impaired, and was being fed by stomach, and nil by mouth.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, December 1

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

That poor little girl and her parents. Just so sad.

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

3:29pm

When the parents arrived, they found a banner to celebrate Child G's 100 days had been made, and Child G was onto a ventilator in the ITU.
Child G was "just about stable", and they were told she had "projectile vomited".
This, the father said, Child G had "never done before", although she has done since, "several times". Child G was transferred to Arrowe Park Hospital in the early hours of September 8, and due to the time of admission, the parents stayed in the parents room.

3:32pm

After a couple of days at Arrowe Park Hospital, Child G was weaned off oxygen completely, which exceeded the expectations of the parents.
However, the father said, he "noticed something had changed about [Child G]."

3:45pm

He said while, prior to Child G's projectile vomiting incident, he would speak to her and she would smile in response. After the incident, he would speak to her, but she would not smile in response.
Child G was transferred back to the Countess of Chester Hospital and the father asked if there was a virus at the hospital, as another baby in the unit [Child I] was also poorly.
He said a consultant assured him "there was no virus" and "nothing wrong with the ward".

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, December 1

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]

3:47pm

On a few occasions, Child G had to go back to the HDU, having appeared as if she was almost ready to leave when placed in nursery room 4.
On one occasion, he recalled the nursing staff were trying to recannulate Child G to give antibiotics, and the mum said to them "Let me hold her", and after she did, Child g calmed down.
"It seemed that every time she moved [to nursery room 4], something happened and she would be moved back to the HDU."

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, December 1

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]

3:56pm

When Child G came home in November 2015, she weighed 5lb.
She remained stable at 18 months and 24 months, but "missed milestones".
At the age of two-and-a-half, she had an MRI, and it was only then that the parents "realised the true extent of her brain damage".
Child G required treatment at Alder hey Hospital and required numerous ventilations throughout 2018.
She was, at the time of the father's statement to police, 'nil by mouth', but was less prone to chest infections.
The Countess of Chester Hospital continued to treat Child G, who had quadraplegic cerebral palsy, Level 5 cerebral palsy which meant she would go "really stiff" and stop breathing.
The first time it happened, the parents believed she was having a tantrum, until they realised the lack of breathing was involuntary.
Child G was visually impaired and also being treated for microcephaly, where the head is smaller than it should usually be.
"We don't know what her life expectancy is," the father added.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, December 1

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]

3:59pm

Dr Alison Ventress is now recalled to give evidence.
She said she recalls "very little" from the night shift at September 6-7.
She says she did not see Child G vomiting that night.
She tells the court Child G 'looked better' and appeared more stable, so did not refer the matter to consultants, and was called away for the delivery of another pre-term baby.
She says she did not believe she would have been away from the neonatal unit for too long. If she believed so, she would have notified a consultant.
The court believes she was away from the room for about half an hour.
Dr Ventress was then called back to the neonatal unit, and observed the saturation levels were 50%, which were 'low - they should be above 90%'.
Child G was 'pink and well perfused' following efforts to assist her breathing, and moving her to room 1. Her saturation levels took 5 minutes to move up, but this was not seen as unusual.
Child G then had 'another profound apnoea', which Dr Ventress said would '99% sure' have happened in her presence.
The heart rate had dropped to 70, saturation levels to 40%, perfusion had dropped.
Breathing assistance was administered and there was a 'gradual improvement'. Saturations increased and perfusion improved, according to Dr Ventress's notes.
She tells the court "We can't carry on in this situation" as Child G had suffered two profound desaturations in a short period of time, so it was necessary to intervene via intubation.
Dr Ventress noted 'blood-stained fluid noted coming up from trachea/between cords' during intubation.
Child G had 'good air entry'.
There was a 'large leak' on the tube, but this was "not a concern" at this stage as there was good air entry.
Vitamin K was administered to help with blood clotting, as blood had been seen.
Dr Ventress tells the court: "She responded well to the treatment we had given her" at that stage.
At 5.30am Child G had another profound desaturation, with heart rate down to 60bpm and saturation levels down to 40%.
Child G would "recover slowly" each time from the desaturations.
After being put on the ventilator, Child G desaturated once more, so Dr Ventress said she was wondering if the problem was with the ventilation equipment. The equipment is changed, but Child G has another desaturation event at 6.05am, with the heart rate falling to 80bpm and saturations to 40%.
Dr Ventress said, following reintubation, the heart rate went up to 120 but the saturation levels remained at 50% despite increased oxygen support.
The doctor said she would "probably" have been cotside for most of this time.
The ETT is removed at 6.10am, with "thick secretions++ in mouth" and a blood clot at the end of the tube.
Dr Ventress says breathing support is given via the mask and jaw support, but the saturations fell to 17%.
Dr Brearey was called in "urgently".
The naso-gastric tube was aspirated as the abdomen "appeared very large", with about 100mls aspirated. The saturations gradually improved after this.
Dr Ventress says it is "quite common" for the tummy to get bigger with breathing support administered, and it was likely it was air was removed.
Child G was reintubated with a mild anaesthetic at 6.15am, with 'blood-stained fluid in oropharynx' noted.
Dr Ventress says the first observation of blood was in the windpipe, whereas this was more in the throat.
Child G "responded well" to being intubated.
X-rays at 4.48am and 6.36am had the comment for abdomen: 'generalised gaseous distention'.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, December 1

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]

4:03pm

Ben Myers KC, for Letby's defence, is now asking Dr Ventress questions.
Dr Ventress confirms she met Child G's parents when she was first admitted to the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Mr Myers presents a 'neonatal discharge summary' for when Child G was discharged from Arrowe Park, with a summary of Child G's condition and problems.
The main problems, Mr Myers, include 'chronic lung disease', 'extreme prematurity', 'sepsis suspected', and active problems include 'chronic lung disease - on CPAP' and 'establishing feeds'.
He said chronic lung disease would be a 'persistent issue' for Child G.
Dr Ventress said it would require breathing support such as CPAP.

4:07pm

Mr Myers says a baby like Child G requires constant medical care and was at risk of infection. Dr Ventress agrees.
He says that by the time Child G went back to Arrowe Park on September 8, it was believed it was "linked to infection".
Dr Ventress agrees.
Mr Myers asks if this was something which did not appear out of the ordinary.
Dr Ventress agrees.

4:10pm

Mr Myers shows blood gas readings for Child G for September 4-5, with pH readings that are 'normal', but the carbon dioxide and bicarbonate readings are 'elevated'.
Dr Ventress says that is common in premature babies with chronic lung disease.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, December 1

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]

4:14pm

Dr Ventress confirms she would have been, for the night shift of September 6-7, her duties would involve patients at the children's ward and neonatal unit. She says it would be "rare" if she would have to cover A&E as well. She would also be tasked with the post-natal unit as well.
At the time of the 'urgent review' at 2.35am on Setptember 7, she said she would have been at the children's ward.
She said, from her statement to police, she would have gone "straight away" to review Child G.

4:17pm

Mr Myers asks that upon attending the unit, and informing the plan of action for Child G, was Dr Ventress then called away before she could carry out anything herself?
Dr Ventress agrees.
Mr Myers says it was for delivery of another pre-term baby.

4:20pm

Dr Ventress's clinical note says Dr Ventress was called out of theatre to say [Child G] had gone apnoeic and dusky.
Mr Myers refers to the note about 'blood-stained fluid noted coming up from trachea/between cords'.
He asks if that was noted after intubation.
Dr Ventress said it was during intubation.
Mr Myers asks if it would be unusual to see that.
Dr Ventress: "It's not uncommon for the baby to [have bleeding during intubation] - it is unusual to have blood coming up from beneath the vocal cords."

4:22pm

Mr Myers says would the blood-stained fluid be blood mixed with some secretion?
Dr Ventress says she cannot quantify what the fluid was, but it was "not pure blood".
Mr Myers says if there was any issue with blood intervening with the procedure. Dr Ventress says there was not.

Recap: Lucy Letby trial, Thursday, December 1

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

 

[Kemug]

All these problems - but she'd been doing well right up to 100 days, hadn't she? So why the fairly sudden and persistent decline?

 

[Sundial]

All these problems - but she'd been doing well right up to 100 days, hadn't she? So why the fairly sudden and persistent decline?

Every time moved back into that one room/due to be moved too. Poor little soul. Regardless weather a guilty party or not, my heart just breaks reading what she went through.

 

[JosieJo]

If ever the prosecution are correct in this instance it's just horrible, so angry today

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

Todays write up here, can’t see if this came up in the live updates but it said that LL visited the ward briefly on Sept 7th. Is that a normal thing to do?
Also seems desperate to know if and when she is being transferred
Lucy Letby trial: Nurse ‘tried to kill baby hours after helping to mark 100th day’

 

[Sundial]

Todays write up here, can’t see if this came up in the live updates but it said that LL visited the ward briefly on Sept 7th. Is that a normal thing to do?
Also seems desperate to know if and when she is being transferred
Lucy Letby trial: Nurse ‘tried to kill baby hours after helping to mark 100th day’

It can be debatable whether it’s a normal thing to do; my vocation is nursing. Many moons ago when I first started my career I did visit a patient on my day off. That said, I had been asked to by the patient and the team I worked with also knew about it. Patient had no living relatives and at times was incredibly low and isolated. From their perspective, they never had any visitors for months up to a year at a time. When I had my child, patient also asked if I would take my baby to visit. In some instances, it can be perfectly acceptable.

In this instance with the trial however, I’m somewhat conflicted. If the accused was (especially with long term/sick patients) more involved and come to know the family/patient quite well, it has been known heard that some nurses in various places in the uk do actually pop in to visit. Some families do also find that quite comforting.

Whether there was an alternative motive here however, my heart really does go out to these families and I feel so sad for what happened to baby G, poor little girl

 

[LadyEdgeworth]

It can be debatable whether it’s a normal thing to do; my vocation is nursing. Many moons ago when I first started my career I did visit a patient on my day off. That said, I had been asked to by the patient and the team I worked with also knew about it. Patient had no living relatives and at times was incredibly low and isolated. From their perspective, they never had any visitors for months up to a year at a time. When I had my child, patient also asked if I would take my baby to visit. In some instances, it can be perfectly acceptable.

In this instance with the trial however, I’m somewhat conflicted. If the accused was (especially with long term/sick patients) more involved and come to know the family/patient quite well, it has been known heard that some nurses in various places in the uk do actually pop in to visit. Some families do also find that quite comforting.

Whether there was an alternative motive here however, my heart really does go out to these families and I feel so sad for what happened to baby G, poor little girl

Thanks for the insight, you sound like a very empathetic person and the patient was lucky to have someone like you

 

[Sundial]

Thanks for the insight, you sound like a very empathetic person and the patient was lucky to have someone like you

That a lovely comment, bless you. I was actually quite reluctant to take my baby to visit the patient in truth. I spoke to my manager and had confirmation it was fine to do so, but only if I was comfortable about it. It wasn’t an issue, I felt it wasn’t appropriate but was assured it would most definitely mean a lot to the patient.

I did eventually take my baby to visit when she was about 6 weeks old. And sadly when I arrived, patient had passed away about a week prior. Needless to say I was quite upset.

But I have also known of doctors who have needed to come in for training days or admin or meetings etc on their days off.. and have also popped in briefly to see how a long term patient is doing. Regardless, I can’t imagine the deep pain these parents have been left with, just awful to read.

 

[katydid23]

I've been wondering if any new safeguards have been put in place in neonatal units throughout the country as a result of these events. I looked online but couldn't find anything.

I would hope they would put some restrictions on insulin. Maybe tighten up the way they use it. Right now it comes in large stock bottles. Maybe it should be more locked down?

 

[ColourPurple]

If LL did this deliberately (and this is just my opinion and nothing is proven and everything is alleged) then what a cold-hearted evil person to attempt to murder baby G on the 100th day when the parents had said this was a huge milestone after which they felt their daughter would be healthy and well. And there was a cake and a celebratory banner ready to mark the day. If deliberate, words fail me.

And to allegedly do so using Baby G's mother's breastmilk. We've heard how expressing milk was one of the few things a mother could do for their preemie babies whilst they were in the hospital. So to think that anybody could use that breastmilk to try to kill the baby who it was supposed to nourish, is just... there are no words. IMO

So many times with this case I've just had to stop reading and take a moment because my mind literally can't process or comprehend the unspeakably cruel nature of the things that LL is alleged to have done.