British nurse Lucy Letby has been found guilty at Manchester Crown Court of the murders of seven children and the attempted murder of six at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Prosecutors said the 33-yr-old was a “calculated opportunist” who exploited the vulnerability of premature and sick babies to cover up her actions, reports RTE.
The UK Department of Health said an independent inquiry would be carried out into the matter and “the circumstances surrounding the deaths and incidents, including how concerns raised by clinicians were dealt with”, reports RTE.
In 2015 and 2016, there was a significant increase in the number of children who suffered serious and unexpected falls in the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit.
Letby was the only nursing and clinical staff member who was on duty each time he collapsed, which prosecutors said was not a natural occurrence.
Some of the children have repeatedly tried to be killed by “cold, cruel and relentless” nurse from Team 5, he heard a trial that began at Manchester Crown Court last October.
Letby’s presence was first mentioned to senior management by the unit’s chief consultant in late June 2015 when the collapse occurred, reports RTE.
Concerns about the defendant grew among some consultants and were brought to the attention of hospital bosses when more unexplained and unusual falls occurred, the court heard.
But Letby was not removed from the ward until two triplets died and another boy passed out for three consecutive days in June 2016.
Letby was confined to office work and registered a complaints procedure in September 2016, reports RTE.
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