International

John and Susan Letby: Killer nurse’s parents attended every hearing

Lucy Letby, a nurse convicted of killing seven newborn babies and attempting to murder six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital, faces a potential life sentence. Her family's close involvement and emotional reactions during the trial shows their relationship with her.

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Lucy Letby’s parents attended every day of the trial
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Lucy Letby, a nurse who worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital, faces the prospect of serving a life sentence after being found guilty of killing seven newborn babies and attempting to murder six others while working in the neonatal care unit at the hospital. She was convicted after a 10-month trial at Manchester Crown Court. She was not present when the verdicts were read. With this conviction, she has become one of the UK’s deadliest medical serial killers.

Letby's parents, John, 77, and Susan, 63, were in the courtroom every day during her trial. To attend the trial they moved from the city of Hereford on the England-Wales border to Manchester.

It was reported that when Lucy Letby was being arrested, her mother cried out to resist her daughter’s arrest and told the police that she committed the murders in a desperate but futile attempt. She burst into tears as the guilty verdicts were read out and was still sobbing even after she left the court. She also exclaimed that this couldn't be right.

Letby's family had been visiting her when she was detained for the first time on the 3rd of July 2018., not long after they had taken Letby to Torquay for a family vacation. Letby lived on Westbourne Road in Chester, which was close to the hospital.

Born on January 4, 1990, in Hereford, Lucy Letby was the only daughter of John and Susan. They formed a tight-knit family, with Lucy becoming the first in her extended family to attend university. Texts revealed her parents' struggle to adjust when she left for university. Despite her move to Chester, where she worked at Countess of Chester Hospital, Lucy remained close to her parents. They helped her buy a house nearby. After her arrest, she returned to her parents' home in Hereford. Letby appeared to be very close to her father. According to documents, he supported her vehemently when officials at the Countess of Chester hospital withdrew her from the neonatal unit in July 2016, following the newborn deaths.