The disturbing text messages Lucy Letby sent at the time she was murdering and harming innocent babies
Lucy Letby today became the most prolific child killer in modern British history after she was found guilty of murdering seven innocent babies and trying to take the lives of six more.
The distraught parents of the babies killed described their ‘eight years of torture’ after a jury convicted her of a horrifying hospital killing spree.
But as Letby preyed on babies by injecting air into their bloodstreams or feeding tubes and poisoning them with insulin, causing them to collapse and die, she was sending disturbing messages that would ultimately play a key part of evidence against her.
The 33-year-old killer messaged her colleagues after murdering little babies, feigning heartbreak and innocence. Other nurses often replied with sympathy and concern, although one or two did raise questions over the deaths with Letby.
The shocking texts show how Letby would offer to work extra shifts on the neonatal intensive therapy unit – and how she reacted as suspicions grew over the spike in the deaths of babies.
At the same time, she was pursuing a close relationship with one of the hospital doctors, a married man who she would message for reassurance and support.
The callous killer even bragged about how any enquiry would have ‘minimal’ on her, so confidant was she that she would not be caught in a long chain of messages which would ultimately play a large role in her conviction.
June 9, 2015
On June 8, Letby killed her first victim, Baby A. Returning to work after a trip away, she took over care of Baby A from fellow nurse Melanie Taylor.
Within 90 minutes of her arriving on the ward, Baby A is pronounced dead. Baby A’s twin remains on the ward.
The day after murdering Baby A, Letby messages her colleagues to say that she does not want to return to the nursery and see the parents – who also had a twin on the unit, Baby B – who she attacked sometime before June 11.
Ms Taylor sends a WhatsApp message to Letby: ‘I hope you are OK, you were brilliant.’
Texting colleagues, Letby writes: ‘It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.’
‘Just a big shock for us all. Hard coming in tonight & seeing the parents x x.’
Continuing to message one of the nurses the day after the killing, she adds: ‘I just don’t know how I’m going to feel seeing parents.
‘Dad was on floor crying Saying [sic] please don’t take our baby away when I took him to the mortuary, it’s just heartbreaking.’
Letby then arrives for a night shift that evening.
June 10, 2015
Letby attacks Baby B despite not being her designated nurse. Baby B deteriorates rapidly just 28 hours after her twin’s death. After intervention, Baby B is saved and is now aged eight.
June 11, 2015
Three days later she messages one of her managers on the ward, requesting to be put back in charge of care and work more shifts.
‘From a confidence point of view I need to take an ITU baby soon X.’
June 13, 2015
Letby becomes frustrated with her manager after demanding to be allowed back to work in intensive care.
Letby: ‘I just keep thinking about Mon [death of Baby A]. Feel like I need to be in [nursery] one to overcome it… to get the image out of my head. It probably sounds odd but that’s how I feel.’
Colleague: ‘Well it’s up to you but don’t think it’s going to help. It sounds very odd and I would be complete opposite. Can understand [shift leader] she’s trying to look after you all.’
Letby: ‘Well that’s how I feel, from when I’ve experienced it at the Women’s I needed to go straight back and have a sick baby otherwise the image of the one you lost never goes.
‘Don’t expect people to understand but I know how I feel… Anyway forget it. I can only talk about it properly with those who knew him… I’ll overcome it myself. You get some sleep x’.
Colleague: That’s a bit mean isn’t it. Don’t have to know him to understand we’ve all been there. Yep off to bed now x.’
Letby: ‘I don’t mean it like that, just that only those who saw him know what image I have in my head X. Forget it. I’m obviously making more of it than I should.’
‘Sleep well xx’,
The conversation ends at 11.09pm. Six minutes later, Baby C falls critically ill.
June 14, 2015
Baby C dies after Letby fed air into his stomach.
Letby texts her colleague: ‘Sorry if I was off just wasn’t a great start to the shift byt sadly it got worse. X’
‘I was struggling to accept what happened to Baby A. Now we’ve lost Baby C overnight and it’s all a bit much.X’
June 21, 2015
Baby D dies. Letby waits until the following morning to get in touch with her colleagues.
June 22, 2015
Letby: ‘We lost Baby D.’
Colleague: ‘ What!!!! But she was improving. What happened.’
‘Wanna chat? I can’t believe you were on again. You having such a tough time.’
June 30, 2015
One of Letby’s colleagues raises concerns about the babies’ deaths in a text to her.
Nurse: ‘There’s something odd about that night and the other 3 that went so suddenly.’
Letby responds: ‘What do you mean?’
Nurse A: ‘Odd that we lost 3 and in different circumstances… ignore me, I’m speculating’.
Letby: ‘Well Baby C was tiny, obviously compromised in utero. Baby D septic. It’s Baby A I can’t get my head around.’
August 4, 2015
Baby E dies in the early hours of the morning. His twin brother, Baby F, is still on the ward.
A colleague texts Letby and asks if she has been caring for them.
Letby: ‘News travels fast. Who told you?’
‘Yeah I had them both. Was horrible.’
The nurse later replied: ‘I just really feel for his parents but for you too. You’ve had some really tough times recently.’
Before Letby returns to work she texts a second colleague, who tells the killer she has had some ‘very bad luck’.
Letby: ‘Not a lot I can do really. He had massive haemorrhage could have happened to any baby x.’
August 5, 2015
Baby F falls seriously ill, less than a day after his brother died.
A note found in Letby’s house which read in capital letters: ‘I AM EVIL I DID THIS’
The Government has now ordered an independent inquiry into the circumstances behind the murders and attempted murders of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital after the conviction of Letby.