Child serial killer Lucy Letby Facing Retrial over Alleged Attempted Murder
Lucy Letby, previously sentenced for the horrifying murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of six others at a UK hospital, is now facing a retrial for an additional charge of attempting to murder a newborn girl.
Last month, 33-year-old Letby received a life sentence without the possibility of release after her conviction for the murders and attempted murders that occurred between 2015 and 2016 in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital. While her 10-month trial led to these convictions, the jury couldn’t reach verdicts on six additional attempted murder charges, two of which were against one infant.
The Crown Prosecution Service has now expressed intent to retry Letby on one of these charges, related to a baby known as Child K from February 2016.
During a recent hearing, Letby, participating via video link from prison, only confirmed her identity. A tentative trial date is set for June 10, 2024.
Receiving the sternest sentence under British law, Letby was condemned for actions described by a judge as reflecting “malevolence bordering sadism.” Only three other women in the UK have faced such stringent punishment.
Accusations against the former nurse include a range of methods used to harm the infants, such as injecting air into their bloodstreams, administering air or milk through nasogastric tubes, poisoning with insulin, and tampering with breathing apparatuses.
An independent inquiry by the UK government is currently reviewing the broader circumstances surrounding the hospital incidents, especially given previous staff complaints regarding Letby.
Prosecutors are focusing on the charge involving Child K and have decided not to proceed with the other five counts of attempted murder. Senior prosecutor Jonathan Storer mentioned that the decisions regarding retrials on these charges were incredibly intricate.