Timeline reveals how hospital bosses refused to believe ‘nice’ Lucy Letby was behind series of unexplained baby deaths and put it down to a coincidence before ‘tipping point’ when nurse attacked two triplets within 24 hours
For months, the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history managed to get away with a string of baby murders.
Lucy Letby killed seven babies and attempted to kill six more while working in the neonatal ward at Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.
As the deranged child killer continued to commit the murders, hospital bosses refused to believe the “nice” 33-year-old nurse was doing anything wrong.
But the ‘tipping point’ came when Letby, from Hereford, was on duty at a time when in June 2016 two out of three premature triplets died within 24 hours.
Here MailOnline takes a look at how Letby’s crimes came to light, ahead of her sentencing today, when she is expected to face a life sentence:
Police bodycam footage of Lucy Letby who was arrested at her home in Chester on 3 July 2018
2015
– June 22: Child D, a full-term baby girl, dies 36 hours after birth at Countess of Chester Hospital. It is the third infant death in two weeks – equal to the total number of neonatal unit deaths for all of 2014.
– End of June/July: A meeting takes place between Chief Neonatal Counselor Dr. Stephen Brearey and Nursing Director Alison Kelly, along with other bosses, to discuss an informal review conducted by Dr. Brearey of Child D’s death. His findings reveal a ‘association’ with nurse Lucy Letby and her presence at the recent collapses. But no foul play is suspected and no connection between deaths is thought to exist. Dr. Brearey remembers saying, “It can’t be nice, Lucy.”
– August 5: The blood sugar of a premature baby boy, Child F, drops dangerously low and a blood sample is sent for testing at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. The day before, the boy’s twin brother, Child E, died after an unexpected collapse.
– August 13: The blood test result for Child F shows an abnormally high insulin level, indicating that it was not produced naturally.
– October 23: Child I, a premature girl, dies on the unit. Some consultants again express their concerns in an email. Dr. Brearey contacts the unit’s manager, Eirian Powell, concerned about Letby harming babies, describing Link as “unhappy.”
2016
– February 8th: A ‘thematic’ review is taking place from an independent neonatologist at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. The review, requested by Dr Brearey, finds no reason for the increased number of deaths and collapses, but concerns about Letby remain as the report is forwarded to Director of Nursing Ms Kelly and Medical Director Ian Harvey.
– March 2nd: Dr. Brearey emails Ms. Powell about organizing a meeting and says, “We still need to talk about Letby.”
– April 9: Another youth, Child L, suffers a hypoglycemic episode in which his blood sugars plummet. Around the same time, his twin brother, Child M, unexpectedly collapses and must be fully resuscitated before recovering. A blood sample from Child L is sent for testing at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.
The judge will likely impose a life sentence, meaning Letby will never be released. She is likely to become only the fourth woman in British legal history to receive such a sentence
– April 16: The blood test result for child L shows a very high insulin level, again indicating that it was not produced naturally.
– Be able to: Dr. Brearey meets with senior managers. He said he has “no doubts” about concerns, but Ms Kelly and Mr Harvey allow Letby to continue working in the neonatal ward. Responding to concerns, a hospital manager suggests other NHS services may be the reason for a rise in deaths, with a document stating: ‘There is no evidence against Letby other than coincidence.’
– 24th of June: Child P, one of a set of triplets boys, collapses and dies a day after death in the ward of his newborn brother, Child O. Dr. , to say that he and his consultant colleagues don’t want Letby to work her next scheduled shift on June 25, but she rejects the plea.
– 25 June: Ninety minutes into Letby’s day shift, Child Q, a premature boy, needs respiratory support after his blood oxygen levels and heart rate plummeted. He goes on to make a full recovery.
– June 29: The ‘tipping point’ has now been reached. Consultants discuss recent “unexplained” events and then urge hospital bosses to remove Letby from the ward for safety reasons. Dr Brearey tells duty manager Karen Rees to replace Letby. Mrs Rees initially refuses, but Letby is then told for the first time in a meeting that she has ties to the dead.
– June 30th: Letby works her last nursing shift in the neonatal ward.
– July 7: The hospital bosses are reducing the service of the neonatal unit by reducing the number of cots and increasing the gestational age for admission from a minimum of 27 to 32 weeks.
– July 15: An email will be sent to all nursing staff informing them that they will each undergo a period of clinical supervision – after medical director Mr Harvey asked the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) to launch the service of the unit. The email reads, “Lucy has agreed to undergo this supervision first on Monday, July 18.”
An image of the Cheshire Constabulary from the Staff Presence Report, with Letby’s line highlighted
Letby is questioned by a police officer in July 2018 about the increase in deaths on her watch
– July 19: Letby is transferred to an administrative role, as she starts an administrative position in the hospital’s Patient Experience Team.
– August 9: Another group email to neonatal workers informs them that secondment positions are available and states that Letby will be spending three months in the Risk and Patient Safety Office.
– 7 Sept: Letby registers a formal complaints procedure against her employer. Around this time, the Royal College of Nursing union informs her by letter of allegations surrounding her involvement in a number of deaths.
-November: The RCPCH says it has found no clear factors associated with a total of eight neonatal unit deaths in 2015 and five deaths through July 2016. However, it has identified significant gaps in medical and nursing rosters and insufficient delivery staff revealed in the longer term. high dependency and some intensive care.
2017
– May 18: Cheshire Police announce they have launched an investigation into ‘a higher number of infant deaths and collapses’ at the hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. The investigation will focus on eight deaths and will also look at seven other deaths and assessing six non-fatal collapses.
2018
– 3 July: Letby is arrested at her home on Westbourne Road at 6am, Chester and officers search the three bedroom property. Searches are also underway at her parents’ home in Hereford and at her workplace in the hospital’s Risk and Patient Safety Office. Police say the investigation has expanded to 17 deaths and 15 non-fatal collapses between March 2015 and July 2016.
Lucy Letby listens to the verdicts to be read at Manchester Crown Court on August 11
2019
– June 10th: Letby is arrested again at her parents’ house.
2020
– November 10: Letby is arrested again before being charged and makes her first court appearance two days later.
2022
– 4 October: Letby is on trial at Manchester Crown Court, charged with the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of ten others.
2023
– August 18: It can be reported that Letby has been found guilty by the Manchester Crown Court of the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of six others.
WATCH THE MAIL’S FULL LUCY LETBY DOCUMENTARY HERE