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

Lucy Letby denies murdering seven babies and attempting to murder another 10 at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neo-natal unit.

The sympathy card that was shown to the jury in the Lucy Letby murder trial at Manchester Crown Court (Cheshire Constabulary/CPS/PA) (PA Media)

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

On Tuesday, excerpts of Letby’s interviews by Cheshire Police following her arrest were read out at Manchester Crown Court.

Asked how she coped with the death of Child I, she replied: ”It effects everybody on the unit because we all knew (Child I) quite well and we’d got to know the family.

“And then I wanted to go to (Child I’s) funeral. I was unfortunately working at the time so didn’t go.”

Shown her photograph of the card, the officer asked: “Can you explain, Lucy, what that is?”

Letby said: “Yeah, I sent a sympathy card to the parents ‘cos I wasn’t able to attend the funeral.”

The detective said: “OK, is this normal practice, Lucy?”

Letby replied: “No. Well, it’s not very often that we would get to know a family as well as we did with (Child I).”

The detective said: “OK, is there a reason why you didn’t go to the funeral?”

Letby said: “I was working. I wasn’t able to change my shift. It was suggested that I could send a card via one of the other nurses who was going.”

The detective asked: “Have you sent cards to other parents before, Lucy?

“No,” she replied.

The detective went on: “That’s the only one you have ever sent?”

I often take pictures of any cards that I have sent, even birthday cards - anything like that

Lucy Letby

Letby said: “Yes.”

The detective asked: “Why did you take photographs of it on your phone?”

Letby said: “To remember what I had sent to them.”

The detective said: “Why did you do that?”

Letby replied: “I often take pictures of any cards that I have sent, even birthday cards – anything like that. I often take pictures of them.”

The detective said: “Did you forward these photographs on to anyone?”

Letby replied: “Not that I remember, no.”

The detective said: “Why did you want to remember what you’d wrote to them, Lucy?”

She said: “It was upsetting losing (Child I) and I think it was nice to remember the kind words that I hoped I’d shared with that family.

“And as I say, I usually photograph any birthday cards that I send, anything like that. That’s what I usually would do.”

Letby wrote on the card: “There are no words to make this time any easier.

“It was a real priviledge (sic) to care for (Child I) and get to know you as a family – a family who always put (Child I) first and did everything possible for her.

“She will always be a part of your lives and we will never forget her.

“Thinking of you today and always – sorry I cannot be there to say goodbye.

“Lots of love Lucy x.”

The card contained the printed message: “Your loved one will be remembered with many smiles.”

Letby was also asked about two twin boys, Child L and M, whom she allegedly attempted to murder on April 9 2016.

A diary found at her then home in Westbourne Road, Chester, contained a reference to “LD twins” on an entry for April 8.

The detective asked: “LD?”

Letby replied: “Long day.”

“Twins?” said the detective.

Letby said: “That there was a twin on the unit at that time.”

The detective asked: “Does that relate to (Child L and M)?

Letby replied: “Was that the day when they were born? … Yes.”

The detective said: “Is there a reason why you put that in your diary?”

Letby said: “Because I attended their delivery.”

The defendant was then asked about entries for April 9 in which she wrote ‘LD (extra) twins resus’.

She explained: “Because I have done an extra shift and I have documented what happened on that day.”

The detective said: “To reflect on?”

Letby said: “Because that was a significant event on that day. It was an extra shift, it was my fourth long day in a row.”

Jurors have heard a paper towel listing resuscitation drugs and the times they were given to Child M was also recovered from a search of Letby’s address in July 2018.

Asked why this was in her possession, Letby said: “They have inadvertently come home with me on the night shift.”

The detective asked: “Do you remember taking them home?”

“No,” she replied.

Asked why she had not put the towel in the hospital’s confidential waste, Letby said: “It was an error on my part that I have not emptied my pockets on leaving.”

Letby said she said did not know why she had not destroyed the paper towel.

The detective asked: “Was this to remind you when you attacked (Child M)?”

She replied: “No. It was just put to one side and then forgotten about.”

Letby denies all the alleged offences said to have taken place between June 2015 and June 2016.