Parents who lost two triplets in 'killer nurse' ward pleaded to move third

08 March 2023 , 20:43

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Lucy Letby is accused of murdering seven babies at hospital where she worked (Image: Chester Standard / SWNS.com)

The parents of two newborn triplets allegedly murdered by nurse Lucy Letby begged to have the third brother moved to another hospital, a court has heard.

Letby, 33, is accused of murdering Child O and Child P at the Countess of Chester Hospital in June 2016.

Child P died while awaiting transfer following a series of unexplained collapses, the day after Child O was pronounced dead after also suffering a number of collapses.

The parents then pleaded with the transport ambulance team to take their surviving baby away from the hospital, Manchester crown court was told.

The boys’ father later told police: “While they were there we begged for them to take [the triplet].

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“We said, ‘There’s no way he’s staying at this hospital, you’ve got to take him otherwise we’re going to take him ourselves’.”

Nurse Lucy Letby denies murdering seven babies and attempting to kill another 10 (MEN Media)

A doctor on the transport team agreed and the boys’ mother discharged herself just three days after giving birth, the court heard. The mum told of the two tragic deaths in a statement read to the court.

She said a doctor visited her on the labour ward on June 23 and told her Child O’s stomach had swollen but that “there was nothing to orry about”.

Shortly after that his cot in intensive care was surrounded with medics who “seemed to be in a state of panic” and the parents learnt he had died.

The next day a midwife said Child P was “really poorly” and told the parents to go to the neo-natal unit. He was to be transferred to another hospital for more advanced intensive care, but sadly died.

After his death Letby was “extremely emotional”, the mum said, “almost as upset as we were”.

Letby took the remains to the parents before they left, having dressed Child P and taken photos for a “memory box” routinely given to bereaved parents. The mum said: “She was in floods of tears.”

Letby denies murdering seven babies and the attempted murders of 10 more in 2015 and 2016.

The trial continues.

Kim Pilling