Home / Crime and Justice / New Bacteria Link Casts Doubt on Letby Convictions
New Bacteria Link Casts Doubt on Letby Convictions
29 Jan
Summary
- Stenotrophomonas maltophilia found in Baby I's endotracheal tube.
- Letby's defense claims bacteria link to Glasgow deaths suggests innocence.
- Hospital hygiene issues raise questions about infant deaths in Chester.
New evidence has emerged in the appeal of Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse serving life sentences for murdering seven infants. Letby's legal team claims that stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a bacteria currently under investigation for recent deaths in Glasgow, Scotland, was found in the endotracheal tube of Baby I, one of the infants Letby was convicted of killing.
This discovery has prompted calls for an inquiry at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where Letby worked. Obstetrician Dr. Martyn Pitman suggests the presence of the same bacteria could indicate Letby was not responsible for Baby I's death. Experts for Letby's defense have pointed to structural and hygiene problems at the Chester hospital, including poor plumbing and drainage, which may have allowed the bacterium to colonize the unit.
The findings coincide with a police investigation into deaths linked to stenotrophomonas maltophilia at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where the health board has accepted the hospital's water system likely caused infections. Evidence from Letby's trial indicated the neonatal unit at Chester also faced significant sewage and plumbing issues, with staff previously using nappy pads to catch leaks from pipes.
Letby, dubbed the "baby killer," was arrested in July 2018. The case continues to draw public attention, with a recent Netflix documentary exploring her arrests and police interviews.
