In a shocking and disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the United Kingdom, British nurse Lucy Letby has been sentenced to life in prison on August 21 without the possibility of parole. The 33-year-old nurse was found guilty by a jury for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others at the UK hospital where she worked, CNN reported.
The sentencing
Lucy Letby was sentenced to a whole life order by Manchester Crown Court in northern England. This order ensures that she will never be released from prison. Despite her conviction, Letby refused to appear in the dock during her sentencing, sparking discussions about whether defendants should be required to attend their sentencing hearings. The judge, Justice James Goss, addressed Letby as if she were present in court, lambasting her actions as a
"cruel, calculated, and cynical campaign of child murder involving the smallest and most vulnerable of children."
The crimes
Letby was found guilty of perpetrating a series of heinous crimes against infants under her care at the Countess of Chester hospital between 2015 and 2016. The prosecution revealed that her methods included administering air into babies' blood and stomachs, overfeeding them with milk, physically assaulting them, and poisoning them with insulin. The court heard that Letby secretly assaulted 13 babies on the neonatal ward during this period. Prosecutors argued that her intention was to kill the babies while deceiving her colleagues into believing there was a natural cause of death.
Impact on victims and families
Throughout the trial, parents of the victims gave harrowing testimonies, revealing the devastating impact of Letby's actions on their lives. Many parents spoke about their lives being forever changed, and some of the surviving babies now require around-the-clock care due to the injuries inflicted upon them. Some parents revealed that they had initially trusted Letby's advice and expertise.
Evidence and investigation
Police had discovered a series of handwritten notes by Letby, including statements in which she admitted to intentionally harming the babies. In one memo, she wrote,
"I am a horrible evil person" and in another, "I am evil I did this."
Letby was arrested multiple times during the investigation, and authorities found notes she had written, as well as hospital documents that she had kept as records of the events surrounding the collapses of the babies.
The case prompted an independent inquiry into the murders, focusing on hospital management, oversight, and how regulators and the National Health Service (NHS) addressed concerns raised by consultants. Doctors at the hospital had noticed an unusually high number of deaths and collapses in the neonatal unit, leading to initial concerns that were dismissed by hospital management. The inquiry's scope has raised concerns from victims' families, who argue that it lacks the power to summon witnesses.
Earlier Daryo reported about accusations of killing four women levelled against 59-year-old Rex Heuermann.
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