Challenges in the Life of Lucy Letby in a Detailed Timeline

Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Lucy Letby. A timeline of obstacles and growth.

Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse in Britain, was convicted of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016. Investigations began after an unusual number of infant deaths occurred at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit, where Letby worked.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

July 2013: Suspension from Administering Controlled Drugs

In July 2013, Lucy Letby and a senior nurse set the infusion rate for a newborn's morphine at 10 times the correct amount, leading to a suspension from administering controlled drugs by the unit's deputy ward manager, which was lifted a week later.

2014: Infant Death Due to Incorrect Breathing Tube Insertion

In 2014, an inquest had found that an infant had died in 2014 due to doctors inserting a breathing tube incorrectly at the hospital where Letby worked.

June 2015: Infant deaths at Countess of Chester Hospital

In June 2015, a high number of unexpected infant deaths occurred at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital, leading to an investigation of Lucy Letby.

June 2015: Unexpected Infant Deaths

In June 2015, four collapses occurred in the same neonatology unit of Countess of Chester Hospital, resulting in three infant deaths. The unit typically only saw two or three deaths a year.

June 2015: Higher than expected Neonatal death rate

Reports by the nationwide MBRRACE-UK project found a neonatal death rate at least 10% higher than expected between June 2015 and June 2016.

August 2015: Infant Death and Twin Became Unwell

In August 2015, an infant, Baby E, died, and his twin, Baby F, became seriously unwell but recovered. During the investigation, unusual blood test results for Baby F and another infant, Baby L, were found, indicating possible insulin poisoning.

2015: Police Investigating Suspicious Incidents

Following the verdict, police investigated whether Lucy Letby harmed other babies. There was an ongoing investigation into "suspicious" incidents at the Countess of Chester Hospital involving about 30 infants. Neonatologists reviewed admissions at the hospital and Liverpool Women's Hospital where she had worked until 2015, identifying "unexpected and unexplained" deteriorations.

2015: Mortality Increase Observed

In 2015, the RCPCH observed that the 2015 increase in mortality was not limited to the neonatal unit.

2015: Suspicious Incidents Began

In 2015, the prosecution argued that suspicious incidents began when Lucy Letby qualified to work with infants in intensive care.

February 2016: CQC Visit and Concerns

During a hospital visit in February 2016, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was informed of difficulties in raising concerns with managers, but heard no mention of an elevated mortality rate.

February 2016: Consultant Witnessed Letby with Desaturating Infant

In February 2016, a consultant testified that he found Lucy Letby standing over a desaturating infant without intervening. She told him the infant had just started declining. The infant survived.

April 2016: Antibiotic Administration Error

In April 2016, Lucy Letby administered antibiotics to an infant that was not prescribed them, misclassifying it as a "minor error".

April 2016: Letby Reassigned from Night Shifts

In April 2016, Lucy Letby was reassigned from night shifts to day shifts by the ward manager, which resulted in a shift in the distribution of incidents.

May 2016: Executive Team's Decision

In May 2016, the executive team deemed the spike in deaths to be coincidental and no substantial action was taken.

June 2016: Babies Almost Died Under Letby's Care

Between March and June 2016, three babies almost died while under Lucy Letby's care. Near the end of June, she was caring for triplets, and the consecutive deaths of two boys caused significant distress among staff.

June 2016: Request for Removal from Clinical Duties

In June 2016, Stephen Brearey, lead neonatologist, asked management to remove Lucy Letby from clinical duties pending an investigation into her conduct.

June 2016: Infant deaths at Countess of Chester Hospital

In June 2016, a high number of unexpected infant deaths occurred at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital, leading to an investigation of Lucy Letby.

June 2016: Transfer from clinical duties

In late June 2016, Lucy Letby was transferred from clinical duties.

June 2016: Brearey's Demand and Executive Response

On 24 June 2016, Stephen Brearey phoned the duty executive following two more deaths, demanding that Lucy Letby be removed from the unit, however the duty executive insisted that Letby was safe to work. The Trust's executive directors discussed involving the police at the end of June, but decided against it.

July 2016: Scaling Back of Unit Services

In July 2016, Lucy Letby was removed from the unit, working her last shift there on June 30th, and the unit's services were scaled back by hospital managers on July 7th, 2016, cutting cot space numbers and increasing the gestational age limit for admission.

July 2016: Transfer to Patient Experience Team

In July 2016, Lucy Letby was transferred to the patient experience team, and later to the risk and patient safety office.

September 2016: Formal Grievance Raised

In September 2016, Lucy Letby raised a formal grievance about her late June 2016 transfer from clinical duties.

September 2016: RCPCH Interviewed Staff

In September 2016, the RCPCH interviewed staff at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The subsequent report concluded that medical and nursing staff levels were inadequate.

July 2018: Letby Arrested and Bailed

On 3 July 2018, Lucy Letby was arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. Following her arrest, police expanded their investigation to include her tenure at Liverpool Women's Hospital. She was subsequently bailed on 6 July 2018.

2018: Arrest

In 2018, Lucy Letby was arrested.

June 2019: Letby Rearrested and Bailed Again

In June 2019, specifically on the 10th, Lucy Letby was rearrested, but was bailed again on 13 June 2019.

March 2020: Letby Placed on Interim Suspension

In March 2020, on the 13th, while out on bail, Lucy Letby was placed on an interim suspension by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

November 2020: Letby Charged with Murder and Attempted Murder

In November 2020, Lucy Letby was charged with seven counts of murder and fifteen counts of attempted murder relating to seventeen babies and pleaded not guilty.

November 2020: Letby Arrested and Denied Bail

In November 2020, on the 10th, Lucy Letby was arrested again and this time denied bail. Letby denied all charges, citing hospital hygiene and staffing levels as potential issues.

October 2022: Letby's Trial Begins

In October 2022, on the 10th, Lucy Letby's trial commenced at Manchester Crown Court before Mr. Justice Goss. She pleaded not guilty to seven counts of murder and 15 counts of attempted murder. Her parents and the victims' families were present.

May 2023: Letby Gave Evidence in Court

In May 2023, Lucy Letby testified in court. She claimed she felt incompetent but meant no harm, stating the allegations negatively impacted her mental health and isolated her from friends. Her testimony included contradictions and increased frustration, differing from her usual calm demeanor.

August 2023: Letby Found Guilty

In August 2023, Lucy Letby was found guilty on seven counts each of murder and attempted murder.

August 2023: Nursing and Midwifery Council Statement

On 18 August 2023, Andrea Sutcliffe of the Nursing and Midwifery Council stated that Lucy Letby remains suspended and they will seek to strike her off the register.

August 2023: Letby Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

On 21 August 2023, Lucy Letby received a whole life order, the most severe sentence in English law. Justice Goss described her actions as a "cruel, calculated and cynical campaign of child murder" with no remorse or mitigating factors.

September 2023: CPS Confirmed Retrial on Attempted Murder Count

On 25 September 2023, the CPS confirmed a retrial on one of the attempted murder counts against Lucy Letby where the jury couldn't reach a verdict. This retrial was scheduled after the appeal decision.

October 2023: Corporate Manslaughter Investigation Announced

In October 2023, on the 4th, Cheshire Constabulary announced an investigation into corporate manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

December 2023: Letby Removed from Nursing Register

In December 2023, on the 12th, Lucy Letby was removed from the nursing register. She did not accept guilt but did not contest the removal.

January 2024: Letby Applies for Permission to Appeal

In January 2024, Lucy Letby applied to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal her convictions, but the judge refused.

April 2024: Letby Renews Appeal Application

In April 2024, Lucy Letby renewed her application to appeal, and her lawyers presented four grounds of appeal during a three-day hearing.

May 2024: Article Questions Conviction

In May 2024, The New Yorker published an article by Rachel Aviv questioning Lucy Letby's conviction, pointing to staffing shortages, hygiene issues, and previous incidents at the hospital.

May 2024: Permission to Appeal Refused

In May 2024, the Court of Appeal, consisting of three judges, refused Lucy Letby permission to appeal her convictions.

May 2024: Remote Viewing Ruling

On May 29, 2024, the Chair ruled that remote live viewing of the inquiry would be available to Core Participants, their legal representatives, and the media, but not livestreamed to the general public.

June 2024: Retrial Started

On 10 June 2024, the retrial against Lucy Letby began.

July 2024: Letby convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to life imprisonment

In July 2024, Lucy Letby was convicted of an attempted murder charge on which the jury had previously failed to find a verdict. She was then sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order.

July 2024: Letby Found Guilty and Sentenced

In July 2024, Lucy Letby was found guilty of attempted murder on 2 July and sentenced to another whole-life order on 5 July 2024.

July 2024: Concerns Published in the Press

Since the conclusion of her second trial in July 2024 and the lifting of associated reporting restrictions, some medical, statistical and scientific experts have expressed doubts about her convictions.

August 2024: Experts Request Inquiry Postponement

In August 2024, a group of experts requested that the inquiry be postponed and its terms changed due to concerns about the safety of Letby's convictions. The inquiry rejected these suggestions.

August 2024: Report of Bacterial Outbreak Leaked

In August 2024, a report was leaked to The Telegraph revealing that the unit where Lucy Letby worked had suffered an outbreak of a dangerous bacteria during the period in which the infants she was convicted of murdering died.

August 2024: Swipe Data Mislabeling Confirmed

In August 2024, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that during the first trial, swipe data for one of the doors to the neonatal unit had been mislabelled such that entries and exits were reversed.

September 2024: Government Inquiry into Deaths

In September 2024, the British government commissioned an independent statutory inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths associated with Lucy Letby; hearings began in September 2024.

September 2024: Royal Statistical Society Meeting

In September 2024, the Royal Statistical Society held a meeting to discuss concerns about the prosecution's evidence. They made comparisons with miscarriages of justice involving other nurses.

September 2024: Public Inquiry Begins

In September 2024, the public inquiry into the Lucy Letby case began. Witnesses gave testimonies about Letby's behavior.

October 2024: Letby Applies for Permission to Appeal

On 24 October 2024, Lucy Letby applied for permission to appeal her conviction, citing prejudicial media coverage. The Court of Appeal rejected her application.

December 2024: New Applications Prepared

In December 2024, Mark McDonald announced that he was preparing new applications to both the Court of Appeal and the Criminal Cases Review Commission, challenging the reliability of the prosecution's expert witness.

2024: Testimony Ruled Inadmissible

In 2024, the Court of Appeal ruled that the testimony of Lee, a prominent neonatologist, was not admissible in Letby's appeal, as he could have been called at the trial and the prosecution's case did not solely rely on skin discolouration to indicate the condition.

February 2025: Expert Panel Finds No Evidence of Deliberate Harm

In February 2025, a panel of 14 international experts, convened by neonatologist Shoo Lee, presented findings that all incidents could be explained by natural causes and/or substandard care, finding no evidence of deliberate harm.

February 2025: Lee Reports Panel Findings and Calls for Release

On February 3, 2025, Shoo Lee reported that the panel "did not find any murders" and called for Lucy Letby to be immediately released from prison and placed under house arrest until the case can be retried. In parallel, Letby's legal team applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to review the case.

February 2025: Legal Team Applies for Case Review and Medical Expert Findings Released

On February 4, 2025, Lucy Letby's legal team applied for her case to be reviewed as a potential miscarriage of justice. Coinciding with this application, findings from a panel of 14 international medical experts, chaired by Shoo Lee, concluded that there was no medical evidence to support claims that Letby deliberately harmed or murdered babies.

March 2025: Inquiry Pause Rejected

In March 2025, Thirlwall rejected the request from Lucy Letby's lawyers and supporters to pause the inquiry while her appeal to the Criminal Cases Review Commission is considered.