Lucy Letby feared to have killed babies at another hospital after mystery deaths

19 August 2023 , 19:58

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Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others (Image: Chester Standard / SWNS.com)

There are fears Lucy Letby may have struck at another hospital where babies mysteriously died.

Police are investigating whether Britain's worst serial baby murderer committed her first horror crimes at Liverpool Women's Hospital prior to her killing spree at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Detectives will examine her whole career, with her convictions so far only focusing in on a period between March 2015 and July 2016 when 17 babies died and 15 suffered non-fatal collapses at the latter hospital's neonatal unit.

The 33-year-old former nurse was on Friday found guilty of seven murders and six attempted murders. She faces life in prison. Investigators say she could face more charges.

Families of Letby's victims yesterday slammed a proposed Department of Health inquiry into how hospital bosses failed to notice her sick crimes despite multiple warnings. Legal reps labelled the action toothless because it won't have the power to allow people to come forward and give evidence.

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

Letby being arrested at her home in Chester on July 3, 2018 (Cheshire Constabulary/AFP via Ge)

A statement said: "This is not good enough. The failings here are very serious and an inquiry needs to have a statutory basis to have real teeth." It also claims the Countess of Chester is seemingly putting its own reputation above the safety of children. Other parents have been coming forward with concerns that the killer nurse also harming their infants, including one mum who said her son died at the hospital in March 2014, a year before the period relating to Letby's convictions.

Police are now reviewing the care of 4,000 babies Letby may have come into contact with during a spell at the Countess of Chester from January 2012 to the end of June 2016 and two work placements at Liverpool Women's Hospital in 2012 and 2015. Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes said: "This does not mean we are investigating all 4,000. It just means that we are committed to a thorough review of every admission from a medical perspective to ensure that nothing is missed throughout the entirety of her employment as a nurse."

Letby faces life in prison (Cheshire Constabulary/AFP via Ge)

It comes as a prison official said Letby may face 24-hour surveillance in jail to stop her from killing herself. Ian Carson of the Prison Officers Association told the Mirror: “It wouldn’t surprise me if she’s under constant watch with eyes on her 24/7. “It would be very embarrassing if she kills herself before justice gets done. Prison officials may decide instead to check in on her every 10 minutes if she’s not deemed such a risk. They’ll have more staff supervision not only to make sure she doesn’t commit suicide but also to make sure she doesn’t escape. Prison officials could keep her apart on a wing with others who have committed offences against children.”

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Officials will be keen to closely monitor Letby as she voiced suicidal thoughts after being accused of killing babies. Letby told her trial at Manchester Crown Court: "There were times when I did not want to live. I thought of killing myself." It comes almost two decades after doctor Harold Shipman - who murdered 15 of his patients - committed suicide to escape justice. The disgraced medic killed himself in his prison cell at HMP Wakefield four years after he received a whole life sentence.

Ryan Merrifield