Lucy Letby case bombshell as traces of lethal baby-killing bug present in hospital
An expert believes a new discovery in the Lucy Letby case could prove the convicted baby killer to be innocent as a deadly bacterium has been found at one of the hospitals she worked in
An expert believes this piece of evidence could prove Letby is innocent (Image: Chester Standard / SWNS)
The discovery of a new piece of evidence could prove the convicted baby killer Lucy Letby to be innocent, a theorist believes.
Letby’s defence team have claimed traces of a deadly bug that killed three babies in Glasgow was also found at the Countess of Chester hospital – where Letby was convicted of killing multiple infants. The nurse’s lawyers discovered the waterborne bacterium – stenotrophomonas maltophilia – in the endotracheal tube of Baby I in February last year.
Police are currently carrying out a fatal accident inquiry at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow – where three children and three adults lost their lives from the bacteria. Dr Martyn Pitman – a former consultant, obstetrician and gynaecologist – urged a similar line of inquiry must be pursued at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
The doctor said the inquiry could dig up bombshell evidence which would prove Letby wasn’t responsible for the babies’ deaths. Pitman told The Sun: “It is potentially hugely relevant and important – it always has been.”
Letby’s lawyers have argued the hospital had suffered “poor plumbing and drainage” resulting in it needing intensive cleaning – with the conditions potentially leading to the bug’s colonisation and infection.
Dr Pitman said: “When the sewage leak was confirmed the unit should have been closed, the vulnerable babies moved out and/or transferred to other units until the issue has been sorted and cultures were negative.” He added: “I feel certain that details of more infected babies across that time period will emerge.
“A baby in the same bay as twins A and B developed awful infection symptoms and was, fortuitously, transferred to Liverpool Women’s Hospital and survived.” When questioned how likely it is the bacterium killed Baby I, rather than Letby, the doctor replied there are “differing opinions”.
Pitman added: “From my understanding, the cultures for that bug were negative leading up to the death. But it is a very difficult organism to treat and to totally eradicate. He stated: “Thing is, it isn’t just about bacteria in the sewage…. There are some pretty horrible and pathogenic viruses that could have been in the sewage leak too.”
The doc added: “At the end of the day, no neonatal unit should remain open, exposing immuno-vulnerable patients to raw sewage. This is the UK NHS in the 21st century after all.”
Letby’s defence team re-examined Baby I’s medical notes and have claimed the bacterium could have blocked the infant’s endotracheal tube. This could have interfered with ventilation and starved the baby of oxygen – potentially resulting in the infant’s death.
The neonatologist who led the panel of 14 experts re-examining the babies’ deaths in the Letby case, Prof Shoo Lee, has told The Daily Telegraph: “Many outbreaks have been reported in hospitals and intensive care units.
“It is frequently isolated from bodies of contaminated water such as sewage. If the water system of a hospital is contaminated, it is a major risk factor for the health of patients.”
