Lucy Letby has been handed a significant new development in her ongoing fight for freedom, following a claim from a medical expert that one of the infants she was convicted of murdering may have been exposed to a lethal bacterial infection. The former nurse is currently serving fifteen whole-life orders after being found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others, which included two separate attempts on one victim.
Defence Uncovers Bacterial Evidence
Letby's defence team has disclosed that traces of the same dangerous bacteria responsible for fatalities at a hospital in Glasgow were identified within the Countess of Chester Hospital, where Letby was employed. The legal representatives for the 36-year-old discovered that Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a water-borne pathogen, was present in the endotracheal tube of Baby I in February of last year.
Context of the Original Trial
This revelation emerges after Letby's trial heard evidence suggesting she killed the infant girl on the fourth attempt, allegedly by administering a deliberate fatal overdose of air and overfeeding her with milk. The new bacterial evidence introduces a potential alternative explanation for the child's death, challenging the prosecution's narrative.
Parallel Investigation in Glasgow
In a related development, detectives are currently conducting a fatal accident investigation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow. This inquiry follows the deaths of three children and three adults from the same bacterial infection. The hospital has since acknowledged that contaminated water was likely the source of serious infections in young cancer patients, after denying any connection for a period of six years.
Expert Calls for Chester Inquiry
Obstetrician Dr Martyn Pitman has publicly advocated for a similar line of inquiry to be initiated at the Countess of Chester Hospital. He argues that such an investigation could potentially demonstrate that Letby was not responsible for the infant deaths attributed to her.
Dr Pitman stated to The Sun: 'It is potentially hugely relevant and important - it always has been.' Notably, Dr Pitman was dismissed from his position in 2023 after raising whistleblowing concerns regarding midwifery care standards at the Royal Hampshire Hospital in Winchester.
The defence's findings and the expert's call for a fresh investigation represent a pivotal moment in Letby's case, as her legal team seeks to cast doubt on the convictions and secure a path to appeal. Further updates are anticipated as the legal and medical examinations progress.
