Chester hospital baby deaths probe: Nurse Lucy Letby rearrested

Lucy Letby was first arrested in July last year

A nurse has been rearrested by police investigating the deaths of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neo-natal unit.

Lucy Letby was first arrested in July last year on suspicion of the murder of eight babies and the attempted murder of another six.

She has now been rearrested in connection with the attempted murder of three additional babies, police said.

Cheshire Police are probing the deaths of 17 infants between 2015 and 2016.

The force launched an investigation two years ago and officers are also investigating 16 non-fatal collapses at the neonatal unit during the same period of March 2015 to July 2016.

Ms Letby, originally from Hereford, had been on bail since July after her home in Chester was searched by police.

A spokesman for the Countess of Chester Hospital said it was "co-operating fully" with the investigation.

In July, the hospital said the neonatal unit was "safe to continue in its current form"

Det Insp Paul Hughes said the investigation was "extremely challenging" and that parents of all the babies were being kept fully updated.

"We fully appreciate that it continues to have a big impact on all those involved - including the families of the babies, staff and patients at the hospital as well as members of the public," he said.

"This is an extremely difficult time for all the families and it is important to remember that, at the heart of this, there are a number of bereaved families seeking answers as to what happened to their children."