In the ongoing trial of Lucy Letby, a former nurse, new details have emerged regarding her case. The prosecution has accused Letby of providing contradicting statements and questioned her credibility. However, Letby maintains her innocence in the face of these allegations.
One particular point of contention is Letby’s claim about observing blood in Child E’s nappy after the infant’s death. She defends her statement by referring to her nursing notes, which she believes contain relevant information. During the court proceedings, Letby is provided with a copy of her nursing notes to review.
The court takes a brief break to allow Letby to peruse her notes. The trial resumes after a 15-minute adjournment. Letby is then questioned about her view on whether any baby could experience a bleed like Child E. She responds that, medically speaking, it is possible for any baby to have such a condition.
Further evidence presented to the court includes a text message Letby sent to a colleague on the evening of August 4, 2015, just hours after Child E’s death. The text mentions a massive haemorrhage and suggests that it could have happened to any baby. The prosecution alleges that Letby falsified records related to the bleeding incident, causing a delay in treatment.
Child E’s mother disputes the timeline, claiming that she visited her son at 9pm and witnessed bleeding. Letby, on the other hand, asserts that she first noticed blood later and promptly informed a senior doctor. The prosecution accuses Letby of lying about the details surrounding Child E’s case and argues that she did not escalate the bleeding issue until an hour after it started.
In response to these claims, Letby firmly states that if she had observed blood at any point, she would have escalated the situation to someone. She maintains that there was no blood prior to 10pm. However, Child E’s mother insists that she saw blood around her son’s lip when she visited at 9pm. An artist’s impression presented in court depicts the blood around the mouth and chin of Child E, supporting the mother’s account.
The prosecution even suggests that Letby may have inflicted an injury on Child E to cause bleeding. Letby vehemently denies this accusation, stating that she never fell out with Child E’s mother. She acknowledges that the blood seen on Child E was exceptional and unlike anything she had witnessed before.
Regarding Child E’s progress, Letby testifies that he was making progress with his feeds, although she clarifies that he was not considered to be in excellent health. She was the sole nurse assigned to the nursery where Child E and his twin were located, while other babies were being cared for by different staff members.
The court also examines the issue of Child E’s mother bringing expressed breast milk to the unit for feeding purposes. Letby does not recall the specifics of the mother’s visit but is questioned about her previous statements. The prosecution suggests that the mother brought the milk at 9pm when the bleeding had allegedly started and when the baby was due for a feed. Letby asserts that she believes the mother arrived later.
Additionally, the prosecution questions a conversation Letby claims to have had with an on-call doctor about omitting Child E’s 9pm feed. They cast doubt on the existence of this conversation.
During the trial, Letby’s experiences and feelings as a nurse are also brought up. A message she sent to a friend at 10:35 pm on August 1, 2015, regarding her night shift is presented. Letby explains that the message referred to the shift being quiet and that she enjoyed being busy when the unit was properly managed.
The prosecution highlights Letby’s willingness to confront medical staff if she believed they made errors. Letby confirms that she was confident in her clinical competencies and did not shy away from correcting colleagues when necessary.
The trial continues to unfold, shedding light on the intricate details surrounding the allegations against Lucy Letby. As the proceedings progress, further insights into the circumstances surrounding the baby deaths are expected to come to light.
