Lucy Letby trial – live: Nurse ‘took photos of thank you card from alleged victims’ parents’

Lucy Letby, who is accused of the murder of seven babies, photographed a thank you card from the parents of two of her alleged victims as “something to remember”.

The nurse, also accused of the attempted murder of 10 other babies, said it was not unusual for her to take photos of cards she had sent and received.

She is on trial at Manchester Crown Court for her third day of giving evidence.

Two of her victims at the Countess of Chester’s neonatal unit are said to be newborn twin boys, Child E and F.

It is alleged she murdered Child E with a fatal injection of air into his bloodstream and attempted to murder his brother, Child F, by insulin poisoning in August 2015.

Jurors have heard the boys’ parents brought in a hamper and a ‘thank you’ card to the unit some three months later.

Images of the card were recovered from Letby’s phone following her arrest, the court heard.

Key Points

  • Lucy Letby gives third day of evidence at Manchester Crown Court

  • Lucy Letby: Nurse accused of murdering babies ‘thought of killing herself’ over allegations

  • Nurse accused of baby murders ‘stunned’ at death of alleged first victim

  • Nurse photographed thank you cards from alleged victims’ parents, court told

Monday 15 May 2023 16:54 , Natalie Crockett

That’s all for our live updates today. You can read all the latest on the case here.

Nurse photographed thank you card from alleged victims’ parents, court told

Monday 15 May 2023 16:10 , Joe Middleton

A murder-accused nurse photographed a thank you card from the parents of two of her alleged victims as “something to remember”.

Lucy Letby, 33, said it was not unusual for her to take photos of cards she had sent and received.

She is on trial at Manchester Crown Court accused of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of 10 others.

Nurse photographed thank you card from alleged victims’ parents, court told

Lucy Letby says ‘nothing unusual’ in taking photo of thank you card

Monday 15 May 2023 15:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Giving evidence on Monday, Lucy Letby said she was working a night shift in the early hours of November 20 2015 when she decided to photograph the card from her alleged victims’ parents at the nurses’ station.

Her barrister Ben Myers KC asked: “Why did you take a photograph of a thank you car from the (Child E and F’s parents)?”

Letby replied: “It was something I wanted to remember. I quite often take photographs of cards I have sent and received.”

Mr Myers said: “Anything unusual in you doing that?”

Letby said: “No.”

Jurors were told Letby searched the name of the twins’ mother on Facebook a total of nine times between August 2015 and January 2016.

Letby said: “Searching for people on Facebook is something I would do. Quite often (the twins’ mother) was on my mind following (Child E and Child F).

Mr Myers said: “Is there anything unusual for you looking more than once on Facebook for someone on your mind?

Letby said: “No, that’s a normal pattern of behaviour for me.”

The defendant, from Hereford, denies all the alleged offences said to have taken place between June 2015 and June 2016.

Nurse photographed thank you cards from alleged victims’ parents, court told

Monday 15 May 2023 14:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A murder-accused nurse photographed a thank you card from the parents of two of her alleged victims as “something to remember”.

Lucy Letby, 33, said it was not unusual for her to take photos of cards she had sent and received.

She is on trial at Manchester Crown Court accused of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of 10 others.

Two of her victims at the Countess of Chester’s neonatal unit are said to be newborn twin boys, Child E and F.

It is alleged she murdered Child E with a fatal injection of air into his bloodstream and attempted to murder his brother, Child F, by insulin poisoning in August 2015.

Jurors have heard the boys’ parents brought in a hamper and a ‘thank you’ card to the unit some three months later.

Images of the card were recovered from Letby’s phone following her arrest, the court heard.

ICYMI: Doctor ‘wishes he had gone straight to police over Lucy Letby concerns’

Monday 15 May 2023 12:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Significant concerns from consultants over Lucy Letby’s “association” with numerous baby collapses were raised eight months before she stopped working on a neonatal unit, a court has been told.

Letby, 33, is accused of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

On Tuesday, consultant Dr Ravi Jayaram told Manchester Crown Court: “We had significant concerns from the autumn of 2015. They were on the radar of someone as senior as the executive director of nursing as far back as October 2015.

“As clinicians, we put our faith in the system… in senior management to escalate concerns and investigate them. The initial response was, ‘It’s unlikely that anything is going on. We’ll see what happens’.

“We said, ‘OK’ – against our better judgment in retrospect.”

Doctor ‘wishes he had gone straight to police over Lucy Letby concerns’

ICYMI: Nurse Lucy Letby ‘wrote sympathy card to parents of baby she murdered’

Monday 15 May 2023 11:49 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

In case you missed it...

Nurse Lucy Letby wrote a sympathy card to the grieving parents of a baby girl she is said to have murdered, her trial heard.

The defendant took a photograph on her mobile phone of the card ahead of the youngster’s funeral.

Letby, 33, is accused of killing the premature-born infant, known as Child I, in the early hours of October 23 2015, which the Crown say was the fourth attempt to take her life.

On Thursday, Manchester Crown Court was told Letby captured a photograph of the card on the morning of November 10 after she finished a night shift – hours before Child I’s funeral.

She wrote: “There are no words to make this time any easier.

Nurse Lucy Letby ‘wrote sympathy card to parents of baby she murdered’

ICYMI: Nurse Lucy Letby photographed sympathy card for baby she is accused of killing, court told

Monday 15 May 2023 10:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

In case you missed it...

Nurse Lucy Letby photographed a sympathy card sent to the grieving parents of a baby girl to remember her “kind words”, a court heard.

Letby, 33, captured the image of the card on her mobile phone ahead of the youngster’s funeral, Manchester Crown Court was told.

She is accused of murdering the prematurely-born infant, known as Child I, in the early hours of October 23 2015, which the Crown say was the fourth attempt to take her life.

Letby is alleged to have murdered seven babies and attempted to murder 10 others at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neo-natal unit.

Nurse photographed sympathy card for baby she is accused of killing, court told

Lucy Letby trial: Nurse accused of baby murders ‘stunned’ at death of alleged first victim

Monday 15 May 2023 09:24 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Murder-accused nurse Lucy Letby told jurors she was “stunned” at the collapse and death of her first alleged victim.

Letby, 33, entered the witness box at Manchester Crown Court to give her second day of evidence on Friday.

Her barrister, Ben Myers KC, turned to the first individual allegation against her, that she murdered a prematurely born twin boy shortly after a night shift started on June 8.

Asked how she felt after the death of Child A, Letby said: “Stunned. It was a complete shock to all of us.”

Nurse Lucy Letby accused of baby murders ‘stunned’ at death of alleged first victim

Lucy Letby: Nurse accused of murdering babies ‘thought of killing herself’ over allegations

Monday 15 May 2023 09:22 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A nurse accused of multiple murders and attempted murders of babies broke down in court as she told a jury she had not harmed any children.

Nurse accused of murdering babies ‘thought of killing herself’ over allegations

Welcome

Monday 15 May 2023 09:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

... to our liveblog where we will keep you updated with the latest as nurse Lucy Letby gives her third day of evidence at Manchester Crown Court.

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