CRIME
UK Police Open Corporate Manslaughter Investigation Into Hospital Where Lucy Letby Murdered Infants
Lucy Letby (PA Media)
Police in the U.K. on Wednesday announced a corporate manslaughter investigation into the hospital where neonatal nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of killing seven infants and attempting to kill six others.
Following the lengthy trial, subsequent conviction of Lucy Letby and an assessment by senior investigative officers, I can confirm that Cheshire Constabulary is carrying out an investigation into corporate manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital, Detective Superintendent Simon Blackwell said in a statement.
The investigation will focus on the period from June 2015 to June 2016, when the murders took place.
Letby, 33, was convicted in August and received a rare sentence of life in prison with no possibility of release. The U.K. does not allow the death penalty.
Letby targeted sick newborns and killed them in a variety of ways, including by injecting air into their intravenous lines, force-feeding them milk, and injecting them with insulin. At her trial, evidence was presented of a confessional note found at her home, which read, I killed them on purpose because Im not good enough to care for them.
Justice James Goss, in issuing Letby’s sentence, described her actions as having a deep malevolence bordering on sadism.
“During the course of this trial, you have coldly denied any responsibility for your wrongdoing. You have no remorse. There are no mitigating factors, Goss said.
Multiple doctors had raised concerns about Letby with hospital management beginning as early as October 2015, going so far as to request an urgent meeting in early 2016, but their concerns were dismissed, and Letby was allowed to continue working. She was finally removed from her duties in late June 2016, but was not arrested until July 2018.
The investigation into Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester will consider areas including senior leadership and decision making to determine whether any criminality has taken place, Blackwell said. At this time, no individuals are being investigated for gross negligence manslaughter, he said.
We recognize that this investigation will have a significant impact on a number of different stakeholders including the families in this case and we are continuing to work alongside and support them during this process, Blackwell said.
TMX contributed to this article.
