A nurse thought “not again” after two infants collapsed on successive nights at a neonatal unit, the trial of Lucy Letby has heard.
The toddler’s twin brother had additionally develop into instantly unwell the night earlier than and died on the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit regardless of efforts to revive him.
Letby is alleged to have injected air into the bloodstream of the new child, Child A, shortly after she got here on shift on 8 June 2015, simply over 24 hours after his untimely start.
The prosecution claims the 32-year-old used the identical methodology to attempt to kill his sister, Child B, the next night time.
Giving proof at Manchester Crown Court on Monday, Letby’s colleague mentioned she was getting ready medicines when the monitor alarm sounded at Child B’s incubator.
She added that Letby was the primary who bought to the cot and known as her for assist.
Asked about Child B’s look, she mentioned: “She regarded very like her brother did the night time earlier than. Pale, white, with this purple blotchy discolouration. It was throughout her physique.
“I just remember thinking ‘not again’ – to see his sister with the same appearance.”
Child B “started to stabilise quite quickly” after a respiratory tube was inserted, mentioned the witness.
The nurse went on: “(Child A’s) deterioration was very sudden and to an unusual degree. Babies can be very poorly quickly but there is usually some indication that is happening. We had no undue concerns.
“To go from that could be very uncommon after which (Child B) had been good all through the night for me… then she turned in poor health in a short time. She deteriorated in a short time after which this discolouration.”
Child B recovered and was eventually discharged a month later.
‘Mentor’ to Letby
The nurse said she couldn’t remember who administered intravenous fluids to Child A before his collapse but accepted she told police that another nursing colleague had “pressed begin” in the process and Letby assisted with checks.
She said she acted as “mentor” to Letby, who first came to the unit as a trainee around 2010/11 while studying at the University of Chester.
They became “good pals”, she said, as Letby went on to join the unit after she qualified.
Defending Letby, Ben Myers KC asked the nurse: “We know the allegations however your expertise when working along with her was she was extremely skilled?
“Yes,” replied the witness.
Mr Myers mentioned: “And dedicated to the work she was doing?”
“Yes,” agreed the witness.
Letby denies murdering seven infants and the tried murders of 10 others whereas she labored on the neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.
Source: information.sky.com”
