The parents of a vulnerable newborn girl expressed their disgust after discovering her “covered in her own feces” while she was being cared for by nurse Lucy Letby.
During an inquiry into the murder of infants at Countess of Chester Hospital, it was revealed that the baby, referred to as Child J, had undergone bowel surgery shortly after her birth in October 2015. She had been fitted with a stoma and a Broviac line, which made her particularly susceptible to infections.
On Monday, the Thirlwall inquiry heard that Child J experienced a series of unexplained collapses in the hospital’s neonatal unit. Her mother described the distressing moment she found her six-week-old daughter in a cot with her stoma bag removed and her lower body loosely covered by a soiled towel.
“I just took one look at her and felt disgusted to see her in that condition. It was incredibly sad for me as a mother, wondering ‘what has happened here?’,” she said.
The mother criticized the situation, stating it demonstrated a “lack of care and humanity towards a child recovering from surgery,” particularly given her high infection risk due to the Broviac line.
Child J’s father said the couple filed a complaint the same day they found their daughter in that state. However, ward manager Eirian Powell reportedly dismissed their concerns, telling them they were “tired and stressed” and suggesting they should go home. The father described this response as “annoying” and “condescending,” while his partner noted that the staff did not take responsibility for what had occurred.
The parents were never informed of the outcome of their complaint and learned only recently that Letby had been their daughter’s designated nurse on the day in question, December 15, 2015.
Letby, who is currently serving a life sentence for murdering seven babies and attempting to kill another seven, was charged with attempting to kill Child J. However, a jury was unable to reach a verdict after a lengthy trial at Manchester Crown Court last year.
During the inquiry, Child J’s parents expressed ongoing concerns about their daughter’s care in the neonatal unit. While they praised consultants Dr. John Gibbs and Dr. Stephen Brearey, they noted that these doctors were overwhelmed and that nurses often dismissed their concerns.
Child J was initially born at Countess of Chester Hospital and later transferred to Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool for bowel surgery before returning to Countess of Chester. The parents highlighted the “meticulous attention to detail” at Alder Hey compared to their experience at Countess of Chester, where they felt Child J was not monitored closely enough and sometimes missed feedings due to the busy staff.
Although Child J was recovering well, she suddenly collapsed several times, and doctors were initially unable to explain these incidents. Letby was charged with causing one of these collapses, but jurors could not reach a verdict regarding the incident on November 27, 2015.
Following another unexpected collapse in December 2015, the parents refused to allow Child J to be taken back to Countess of Chester Hospital after she was transferred to St. Mary’s Hospital in Manchester. They have lived in fear for years that Child J might have an undiagnosed condition causing her life-threatening seizures, as they were never informed about the results of investigations into her collapses.
Child J’s father criticized the hospital’s decision to reassign Letby to a patient safety role in July 2016, despite concerns from colleagues that she might be harming babies. He described this move as “ludicrous and inconceivable.”
Later, the mother of another infant attacked by Letby demanded accountability from the hospital’s executives. Letby was found guilty of attempting to murder another newborn, referred to as Child K, after a retrial this year. Child K was born 15 weeks premature, and Letby allegedly tampered with her breathing tube, leading to a life-threatening situation. The infant was resuscitated but died three days later at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral. Initially charged with her murder, prosecutors later determined there was insufficient evidence.
Child K’s mother stated that hospital executives should have acted sooner when doctors raised concerns about Letby’s behavior. “They need to be held personally accountable,” she insisted, noting that senior managers in other organizations would face serious consequences for failing to protect vulnerable lives. “It’s unacceptable that no one is taking responsibility because this could happen again.”
You Might Be Interested In
