Death of baby allegedly murdered by Lucy Letby came ‘out of the blue’, court hears
19.10.2022 - 22:51
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The death of a baby allegedly murdered by nurse Lucy Letby came as a “big surprise” and was “completely out of the blue”, her trial has heard.
The newborn twin died at the Countess of Chester Hospital following a sudden collapse just more than 24 hours after his premature birth. Manchester Crown Court heard that Child A and his sister, Child B, were moved to the hospital’s neo-natal unit on the evening of June 7 2015.
Paediatric registrar Dr Sally Ogden clocked off on June 8 before Child A’s rapid deterioration on the night shift. Medics tried to resuscitate him but their efforts were in vain as he was pronounced dead shortly before 9pm.
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Letby, 32, is said to have murdered Child A – within 90 minutes of coming on duty – by injecting a fatal amount of air into his bloodstream shortly before the collapse. Dr Ogden returned to duty for the following day shift and she and her team were told by a fellow doctor that Child A had died during the evening, the court was told.
In a witness statement, the registrar said: “I remember this came as a big surprise. It was completely out of the blue and very upsetting. (Child A) showed no signs of any problems throughout the day. He was handling well.
“I had no concerns at all for him or his twin sister.”
The defendant is said to have attempted to murder Child B using the same method on the night shift of June 9. She is accused of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of 10 others.
Nurse Melanie Taylor told the jury of eight women and four men she handed over the care of Child A to Letby at the end of her day shift on June 8.
Giving evidence screened from the