Tue 22 October 2024:

Lucy Letby, a former nurse convicted of murdering seven infants, may have caused harm to even more babies than previously thought. Recent findings indicate that she could have poisoned a child in her care with insulin.

Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others, which included efforts to kill two infants with insulin at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

New findings on insulin poisoning

Documents reviewed by BBC One’s Panorama reveal that a third baby might have also been poisoned shortly after Letby took over their care. Medical records show that the infant experienced a sudden drop in blood sugar levels, accompanied by unusually high insulin levels.

Blood tests from a baby boy cared for by Lucy Letby in November 2015, revealed concerning results. His tests showed very high levels of insulin and low levels of C-peptide, a substance usually found in higher amounts when the body produces natural insulin. The baby’s insulin level was recorded at 6,945 picomoles per litre, while his C-peptide level was only 220.

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Deterioration after nurse’s shift begins

Medical records indicate that the baby’s condition worsened after Letby began her shift. At 06:56, his blood sugar was at a normal level of three millimoles per litre (mmol/L). However, by 13:54 —just over five hours into Letby’s shift—his blood sugar dropped to a dangerously low level, suggesting he may have received too much insulin. This low level persisted throughout her shift, and reports from the BBC indicate that the baby only started to recover after Letby finished her shift at 20:00.

Former boss says sorry to victims’ families

A nursing boss has apologised to the families of victims of child killer Lucy Letby.

Letby was allowed to continue working on the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit until July 2016 despite worries from the unit’s clinical lead in October 2015 that Letby had been on duty for a spate of unexpected deaths that year.

Giving evidence on Monday, Ms Powell’s then line manager Anne Murphy said she too did not have any concerns about Letby at that time.

Ms Murphy said: “We had investigated as much as we possibly could and we couldn’t find a reason … so I think we were really wanting support and advice from our executive team by this stage.”

Asked by Peter Skelton KC, representing families of Letby’s victims, if she thought of the consequences if she was wrong about Letby, she said: “No, not at the time. Things do happen, coincidences do happen and the fact she was present.

“I think if she had been caring for each of those babies and not just being on the unit that may well have been slightly different … but that was not actually the case.

“None of the staff came forward to say there was interference with the care of their baby.”

Mr Skelton said: “Did you realise the consequences were extremely serious, in fact they couldn’t be more serious?”

“Yes,” she replied.

Mr Skelton said: “In those circumstances if you can’t be certain that children aren’t being harmed, is not the obvious step to take action urgently to protect children?”

Ms Murphy said: “Yes, we should have.”

She added: “I should have done something earlier maybe but I didn’t. I didn’t know why it was happening so I have to apologise to all of those families, from my perspective, that I had certainly failed those children by not doing something sooner.”

The inquiry is expected to sit until early 2025, with findings published by late autumn of that year.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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