Nurse arrested on suspicion of poisoning baby as probe launched into surge of child deaths
A nurse has been arrested on suspicion of poisoning a baby as police investigate a spate of child deaths.
A child admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital died “suddenly and unexpectedly” in May last year.
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Staff members drew the authorities’ attention to the case when the child’s condition rapidly deteriorated and she died the next day, May 18, 2022.
A nurse was suspended and West Midland Police arrested her in connection with the incident at her home on suspicion of administering a poison intended to endanger life.
She was suspended from work by the regulator, meaning she has nowhere else to work as a nurse.
Birmingham Children’s Hospital has a 31-bed pediatric intensive care unit and is the largest in the UK.
An “increase” in deaths and sudden collapses in children in the neonatal and pediatric wards from January 2022 is now being investigated.
The inquiry into the unusual rise in the death toll has been carried out by the NHS Trust and all information has been handed over to the police.
As revealed by The Sunday TimesThree children tragically died suddenly in the hospital.
The families were informed of the results.
dr Fiona Reynolds, Chief Medical Officer, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “In May 2022, a child in the pediatric intensive care unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital suddenly and unexpectedly deteriorated.
“Due to the circumstances of the deterioration, the foundation acted immediately.”
“An employee was suspended from work and subsequently arrested at home.
“Unfortunately, the child later passed away and our thoughts are with the family.”
dr Reynolds added that the foundation “followed standard protection protocol” and police were notified the same day as the death.
“A comprehensive clinical review of the deaths and sudden deteriorations in children in the pediatric intensive care unit was conducted by Foundation doctors,” she continued.
“Their findings were again checked by independent experts and reported to the police.
“We always put patient safety first, so we took decisive action immediately.”
A West Midlands Police spokesman said the nurse was still under investigation in connection with the child’s death last year.
He added: “The woman has been arrested at a property in the West Midlands area on suspicion of administering poison to endanger life.”
This comes as former nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others.
The monster was sentenced to life imprisonment, which means she will die behind bars.
Evil Letby, 33, killed infants in the neonatal intensive care unit while he worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital by injecting them with insulin and air.
And now medical experts examining Letby have reportedly found evidence of “malicious acts” against other babies.
Police are currently examining all 4,000 newborns admitted to the two hospitals where the monster worked for four years.
Det Supt Paul Hughes previously confirmed that Cheshire Police are investigating “some incidents” at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, where Letby was hospitalized in 2012 and 2015.
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