Lucy Letby trial: Triplet boys' deaths were harrowing, says nurse

Lucy Letby is accused of murdering and attempting to murder babies on a neo-natal ward

Murder-accused nurse Lucy Letby has told her trial how she found the deaths of two triplet brothers on successive days a "harrowing" experience.

The 33-year-old is accused of killing the boys after returning to work at the Countess of Chester Hospital following a trip to Ibiza in June 2016.

She said: "It's devastating. You want to save every baby in your care. You're not supposed to watch a baby die."

Ms Letby denies murdering seven babies and the attempted murders of 10 others.

Manchester Crown Court has previously heard that one of the boys, referred to as Child O, was stable up until 23 June, when he suffered a "remarkable deterioration" and was moved to another nursery, where he stabilised.

He later suffered a further fatal collapse.

A post-mortem examination found unclotted blood in his body from a liver injury, which led a coroner to conclude his death was due to natural causes.

However, an independent pathologist, who later reviewed the case, said the boy had suffered an "impact injury" akin to a road traffic collision, while medical experts for the prosecution said he died due to a combination of that injury and air being injected into his bloodstream.

Ms Letby was asked by her defence barrister Ben Myers KC if she had introduced air into Child O's system or caused him any harm.

She replied: "No, never."

Lucy Letby was giving evidence for a fifth day

Mr Myers asked the nurse what the atmosphere was like when a baby died on the unit, she said: "It's completely flat. There is a complete change in atmosphere.

"To me personally, it's devastating. You want to save every baby in your care.

"You're not supposed to watch a baby die."

Mr Myers noted the accused had been on holiday in the week prior to Child O's death. He asked her if she was planning "anything dramatic and terrible" upon her return, to which she said "no".

Less than 24 hours after Child O's death, his brother, Child P, died in similar circumstances.

The jury has heard that at 09:50 BST on 24 June 2016, Child P collapsed and required breathing support.

He collapsed several more times that day, before being pronounced dead at 16:00.

'Very anxious'

A medical expert for the prosecution said the collapses were consistent with an "additional amount of air being given to this baby".

Asked for her recollections of 24 June, Ms Letby said there was an "increasing sense of anxiety on the unit" as Child P was not responding to treatment.

She said there was a "huge sense of relief" when a specialist team arrived from Arrowe Park Hospital, Wirral, to assist with his treatment.

She added: "We were all very anxious, particularly in view of what had happened to [Child O] the day before.

"There didn't seem to be any clear plan from doctors, we very much wanted the transport team to come and offer their expertise."

Lucy Letby denies all of the charges against her

The nurse said the requirements of Child P were "beyond our level of care".

Despite the presence of the specialist team, Child P collapsed and died.

Asked to give a sense of the mood in the hospital at that time, Ms Letby said: "Everybody was shocked, devastated.

"I was really upset, to have that two days in a row. To imagine what those parents had gone through, it was harrowing.

"You don't forget something like that."

The trial continues.