How evil Lucy Letby went from hospital’s poster girl to most prolific child serial killer in British history
LUCY Letby went from being the figurehead of a hospital once described as “a champion of children” to the most prolific serial child killer in British history.
The 33-year-old nurse was the only child of avid furniture salesman John, 78, and accountant Susan, 63.
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She grew up in a quiet cul-de-sac in the quaint cathedral town of Hereford near the England and Wales border.
At the time of their initial arrest in July 2018, the couple’s neighbors spoke of their shock when police searched their childhood home just days after Letby and her parents returned from one of their regular holidays to Torquay.
One described Letby as “very career-oriented,” saying, “I really can’t believe it.” She was a delight. Your parents have to go through hell.
“Her parents have been my neighbors for at least 25 years, so I watched Lucy grow up. Lucy lives far away, but visits her often, as any good daughter would. They idolized her.”
She attended a local comprehensive school before studying at Hereford Sixth Form College, where former friends described her as one of the “geeky girls” who was part of a self-proclaimed group known as the “Miss Match Family”.
Always dreaming of becoming a nurse and being the first in her family to go to university, she went on to study 100 miles away in Chester, where friends say she was always the first one home at night.
A fellow student recalled Letby as part of a group who were “not girly girls who were always partying, but were all very focused on their studies and loving it.”
They described the Ellie Goulding fan as awkward and geeky but “kindhearted”.
One said: “She was very smart. She was really sweet, kind and friendly and always part of the quiet squad.
“I was so shocked when she was arrested because she’s not like her.
“She loved her job and when she and her friends were at uni they all worked so hard and were all motivated and excited.”
Letby graduated with a BSc Hons in Pediatric Nursing in 2011 and went on to buy a £180,000 three-bedroom semi-detached house in Blacon, Chester, a mile from the hospital where she worked.
She lived alone with her two cats, Smudge and Tigger, and neighbors remembered how quietly she lived there.
She is believed to have previously dated a male nurse who is now married with children but had no boyfriend during the time she was hurting babies.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Evans of Cheshire Police oversaw the team, who questioned Letby three times.
Describing the nurse’s character as “beige,” she added, “We didn’t find anything extraordinary or outrageous about her as a person.”
“She was a normal 20-year-old doing what she was doing – her career and with her friends. But obviously there was another side that no one saw and we deciphered that.”
Letby began working as a Volume Five nurse at the hospital in January 2012 and was earning around £32,000 a year following her promotion to Volume Six.
In a 2013 interview with a local newspaper, she was pictured holding a onesie while proudly beaming: “I’ve been working on the unit since I graduated.
“During my three-year apprenticeship, I also worked as a nursing student on the ward. My responsibilities include caring for a variety of babies who require varying levels of support. Some are here for a few days, others for months and I am happy to see them making progress and supporting their families.”
Letby, who cared for hundreds of babies, was helping with a fundraiser for a new £3million baby station and colleagues dubbed her a “kids advocate”.
She also completed critical care training and had completed two internships at Liverpool Women’s Hospital in 2012 and 2015.
Her passion for the job was reflected in her Facebook liking of Channel 4’s ‘One Born Every Minute’ show in the maternity ward and being a member of 14 groups dedicated to helping sick children.
She told a colleague that she enjoyed watching the BBC2 series ‘An Hour To Save Your Life’ about a neonatal unit, adding: “I just find it interesting to see how our work is presented to the public .”
After her graduation in 2011, her parents, who were stoically present almost every day of the ten-month process, published an announcement in a local newspaper.
It said: “We are so proud of you after all your hard work. Dear mom and dad.”
Two years later, Letby was pictured smiling and holding up a baby’s garment in the hospital’s internal newsletter.
Speaking about her work in the neonatal unit and repeating her newspaper comments, she repeated: “My job is to take care of a large number of babies.” . I enjoy seeing them progress and support their families.”
Although Letby lived and worked away from home, she remained close with her parents, who provided her with a room to return to.
After her arrest, the property was searched by the police.
It was revealed at her trial that she suffered a “minor nervous breakdown” after the deaths of three babies, and in June 2015 she wrote to a colleague, “I just need some mommy and daddy time.”
And after another baby collapsed, she messaged a colleague who was planning to move to New Zealand.
Letby wrote: “Not brave enough to get up and leave. I couldn’t leave my parents. You would be completely devastated. It’s hard enough being apart from me now and there’s only 100 miles to go.”
Her colleague asked, “Where are you based?”
Letby replied: “Hereford. I came here for uni and didn’t go back. They hate it and sometimes I feel very guilty for staying here.”
Her parents visited Torquay three times a year and her daughter accompanied them regularly.
They had just returned from a break when Letby’s home was first searched by police on July 3, 2018.
A loud knock was heard at the door at 6am before officers entered and told the nurse that she was being arrested on suspicion of multiple murders and attempted murder.
She was taken to the police station in handcuffs.
The jury heard that she enjoyed hobbies outside of work while caring for helpless babies.
Letby was on a pub quiz team and went dancing hours after trying to kill a baby by putting insulin in the IV feeding bag.
She texted a friend and cheerfully asked, “Are you going to salsa tonight?”
She also enjoyed horse racing, celebrating a 135-pound victory at the Grand National while also attempting to murder twins.
Sending a message to her friends, she said: “Work sucked but I just won £135 at the Grand National!!!”
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toy of a monster
LUCY Letby’s bedroom with its stuffed animals gives a false image of innocence – but police found sinister handwritten notes in the house calling herself “evil”.
Pictures of her home shown in court showed her messy bedroom with a Sweet Dreams bedspread featuring stuffed animals including a Winnie the Pooh bear.
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But officers who first arrested her there in July 2018 discovered a series of notes, including the phrases “help me,” “I can’t do this anymore,” and “how can life be like this.”
Her diary read: “I don’t deserve to live. I killed her on purpose because I’m not good enough to take care of her. I am a terribly bad person.”
She added, “I’m mad I did that.”
The nurse moved into the triple share house in 2016 during her year-long killing spree, paying £180,000 to do so.
This gave her easy access to the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit – and in some cases she admitted to visiting babies and colleagues off-shift.
Neighbors down the street in Blacon, Chester, recalled how she always “kept to herself”.
But by the time she moved in, she had already murdered five babies and attempted to kill eight more.
Just days later, she attempted to murder day-old twins.
Letby was arrested a second time in June 2019 and again in November 2020 when she was finally charged.
In December 2019, she sold her home for £201,000 and returned to live with her parents in Hereford.
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