Lucy Letby Contacted Police Before Arrest, New Documentary Reveals
A startling new Netflix documentary has unveiled that Lucy Letby, the former nurse convicted of murdering seven babies, proactively emailed police investigators three months before her initial arrest. The documentary, titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby, provides unprecedented insight into the early stages of the case that shocked the nation.
Proactive Email to Senior Detective
Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes, the senior investigating officer for Cheshire Constabulary, reveals in the documentary that Letby emailed him directly from her NHS email address in approximately April 2018. Remarkably, she quoted the investigation's codename – Operation Hummingbird – which was not in the public domain at the time.
"She wanted to know when we were going to speak to her," Hughes states. "I found it interesting, I thought maybe she has got something to tell us."
In her email, Letby explained that she knew colleagues on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital were being questioned about a spike in baby deaths. She expressed a desire to "alleviate her anxieties" by understanding the investigation's timeline.
Planning for Police Interview
The convicted child killer's correspondence demonstrated careful forethought about managing her professional responsibilities during the investigation. She wrote about needing to "share these potential time frames with my manager at work" and mentioned that colleagues in her redeployment area were unaware of her circumstances.
"A message within the team will need to be managed to account for my time off," Letby wrote, indicating she anticipated requiring leave to speak with officers.
Her email concluded with the plea: "I would be very grateful for any information you can offer to help alleviate my anxieties."
Arrest Footage and Family Reactions
The 90-minute documentary features extensive bodycam footage from all three of Letby's arrests before she was eventually charged. The first arrest occurred at her home in Blacon, Chester, on July 3, 2018 – approximately three months after she sent the email to police.
Footage shows officers waking a stunned Letby in her childhood bedroom, which was decorated with fairy lights and snow globes, before informing her she was being arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
During her second arrest at her parents' home in Hereford, Letby's mother Susan, 65, can be heard crying and wailing, "Please, no, not again, no" as officers arrive at dawn. Letby asks to say goodbye to one of her cats before turning to her parents and asking, "You know I didn't do it?" to which they reply, "We know that."
Parental Criticism and Documentary Content
On Sunday, Letby's parents criticised the documentary as a "complete invasion of privacy" and stated they would not be watching because "it would likely kill us if we did."
The film, produced by ITN Productions, also charts the story of a baby girl referred to as "Zoe" for legal reasons. She was the third child murdered at the Countess of Chester Hospital within a fortnight in June 2015.
Speaking for the first time, Zoe's mother – whose identity has been digitally disguised – describes the "panic, disbelief and confusion" she and her husband felt after their daughter died unexpectedly soon after birth. She also expresses anger at campaigners, including Tory MP David Davis, who have attempted to challenge Letby's convictions.
Background and Current Status
Letby had been moved from the neonatal unit to an administration role at the hospital in July 2016 following doctors' concerns, though colleagues were kept in the dark about the exact reasons for her redeployment.
The former nurse is currently serving 15 whole-life terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more between June 2015 and June 2016. She has twice failed to appeal her convictions.
In April 2023, her legal team lodged new "expert" evidence with the Criminal Cases Review Commission in hopes of having her case referred to the Court of Appeal for a third time. Meanwhile, inquests into the deaths of five of Letby's victims are scheduled to be opened on Wednesday.
