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The nurse is arrested again on suspicion of murdering eight babies and attempting to kill nine others in the neonatal unit at Countess of Chester hospital.
- Lucy Letby was previously arrested in 2018 and 2019 and is back in custody
- Cheshire Police said today they were assisting officers with their investigations.
- The investigation of the tragedies takes more than three years.
A health professional has been arrested again on suspicion of murdering eight babies and attempting to kill nine others in a neonatal unit.
The woman, arrested Tuesday, is understood to be Nurse Lucy Letby, who was previously arrested in 2018 and 2019 for the tragedies at Countess of Chester Hospital.
Cheshire Police Detective Chief Inspector Paul Hughes said: “ In July 2018, a healthcare professional was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the deaths of eight babies and the attempted murder of six babies in Countess of Chester Neonatal Unit. Hospital. She was later released on bail pending further investigations.
In June 2019, the healthcare professional was again arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the deaths of eight babies and the attempted murder of six babies. She was also arrested in connection with the attempted murder of three more babies.
“Today, as part of our ongoing investigations, the healthcare professional has been re-arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the deaths of eight babies and the attempted murder of nine babies.
“The woman is currently in custody assisting officers with their investigations.”
Lucy Letby, pictured, has been arrested again on suspicion of murdering eight babies and trying to kill nine others in the neonatal unit at Countess of Chester Hospital.
Detectives launched an investigation into infant deaths at the hospital in May 2017, initially looking at the deaths of 15 babies between June 2015 and June 2016.
The investigation was later expanded to the deaths of 17 babies and 16 non-fatal collapses between March 2015 and July 2016.
Following her previous arrests, police searched Letby’s home in the Blacon area of Chester.
In a 2013 interview with the Chester and District Standard newspaper, the Hereford nurse said she cared for babies who needed various levels of support.
She had worked in the unit as a nursing student for three years of training before qualifying as a child nurse at the University of Chester in 2011.
Letby said she started working at the unit after graduation.
DCI Hughes added: ‘Parents of all babies have been kept fully up to date on this latest development and continue to be supported throughout the process by specially trained officers.
“This is an extremely difficult time for all families and it is important to remember that, at the heart of this, there are several grieving families seeking answers about what happened to their children.
A police car outside the Women’s and Children’s Building at Countess of Chester Hospital when Letby was arrested again in 2019
“Due to the nature of this research it is extremely challenging, but it is important to remember that, despite the passage of time, it is very active and continuous. There are no set deadlines and we remain committed to conducting a thorough investigation.
“We fully appreciate that it continues to have a great impact on everyone involved, including the babies’ families, hospital staff and patients, as well as the public.”
Anyone with information should contact the investigation team at [email protected] or call the police on 101 or anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.
