Lucy Letby: Timeline of Baby Killer’s Crimes and Trial

Lucy Letby—dubbed Britain’s most prolific serial killer of children—is in the news again after an article examining the evidence against her in The New Yorker was blocked online in the U.K. following a court order.

Ahead of a retrial in June on one count of attempted murder, Newsweek maps out the timeline of Lucy Letby’s career, crime spree and resulting conviction.

Www.oeisdigitalinvestigator.com: Early career

Letby begins her career as a registered nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit in 2012. By 2015 she is qualified to work with infants in intensive care.

Www.oeisdigitalinvestigator.com: 2015: Initial concerns are raised following a string of infant fatalities

June

Concerns initially arise in June 2015 when baby A dies unexpectedly whilst in Letby’s care.

The next day, baby A’s twin, baby B collapses after a sudden drop in heart rate but is successfully resuscitated.

Baby C, a premature baby boy dies after Letby inserts air into his stomach through a nasogastric tube.

Baby D, a full-term baby girl dies 36 hours after birth—the third infant mortality in a fortnight and the same as the total number of neonatal deaths for the entire previous year.

August

Baby E, another twin, dies after losing 25 percent of his total blood volume. A medical expert told the court the cause of death was internal bleeding and an injection of air.

Baby E’s twin, baby F, survives an insulin injection attempt by Letby. The child eventually makes a full recovery.

September

In September, a seventh child under Letby’s care, baby G, falls ill after she overfed the infant with milk via a nasogastric tube or possibly injected air into the tube, according to prosecutors. Baby G survives the incident, but now requires constant care for quadriplegic palsy.

October

Another infant, known as baby I dies. Despite increasing concerns about Letby, the hospital do not take significant action against her after conducting an internal review.

Www.oeisdigitalinvestigator.com: 2016: Independent review begins as suspicions grow

February

An outside neonatologist conducts an independent review into the deaths. The investigation links Letby to the incidents.

April

Baby L falls ill after being treated for mildly low blood sugar levels whilst Letby is on shift. Hospital equipment records insulin in the child’s blood at the highest levels they are capable of measuring. The baby goes on to make a recovery.

Baby L’s twin (baby M) suddenly collapses around the same time, but also goes on to stabilize.

June

Following the deaths of two triplets on consecutive days, hospital staff demand Letby be removed from duty but an executive refuses.

July

Letby is reassigned to administrative duties.

There are four other incidents at the hospital involving infants over the period in question. In these cases, Letby was either found not guilty or the jury failed to agree on a verdict.

These infants were referred to as babies H, J, K, and Q.

Www.oeisdigitalinvestigator.com: 2017-2020: Criminal investigations begin

May 2017

Police open an investigation into Letby’s unit’s high infant mortality rate, dubbed Operation Hummingbird.

July 2018

Letby is arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. Initially released on bail, she is arrested again in June 2019 as the investigation built up more evidence.

November 2020

Letby is arrested again and charged with the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of ten more. Two days later she appears in court.

Www.oeisdigitalinvestigator.com: 2022-2023: Trial and Sentencing

October 2022

Her trial begins at Manchester Crown Court, in the north west of England.

August 2023

Letby is found guilty of murdering seven babies and of the attempted murder of six more. She is currently serving 14 whole-life sentences at HMP Low Newton, a high-security prison in County Durham in the north of England.

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