Lucy Letby: Nurse arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies released on bail by police

Police confirmed release of 28-year-old woman, believed to be nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital, after three days of questioning

Police say they have released on bail the NHS healthcare worker arrested on suspicion of the murder of eight babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Cheshire.

A statement from Cheshire Police on Friday confirmed the release “pending further enquiries” of the woman, reported to be nurse Lucy Letby, 28.

Police have not identified the person arrested yet but have conducted a search of Ms Letby’s semi-detached home and garden, in addition to interviewing her parents.

The arrest is part of a police investigation into the deaths of 17 babies, and 15 non-fatal collapses, at the hospital between March 2015 and July 2016.

A spokesperson said: “Cheshire Police can confirm that the woman arrested on Tuesday 3 July has now been bailed pending further enquiries.

“We continue to recognise that this investigation has a huge impact on all of the families, staff, and patients at the hospital as well as members of the public."

The investigation is ongoing with no set timescale for completion, they added.

It is understood Ms Letby worked at the Countess of Chester after graduating as a children’s nurse from the University of Chester in 2011, and went on to complete a work placement at Liverpool Women’s Hospital as part of extra training.

The police had previously said the arrest had been a “significant step forward [in] a highly complex and very sensitive investigation”.

(Chester Standard/SWNS)

Officers began looking at deaths at the hospital in 2017, two years after consultants became concerned by a rise in the number of “unexplained” and “unexpected” deaths on the wards.

Multiple internal and independent investigations by the hospital and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have been unable to identify a definitive cause before the case was handed to police.

Acquaintances of Ms Letby have said she was kind-hearted, and some have expressed amazement that her house was now being searched by detectives.

In Hereford, a neighbour of Ms Letby’s parents told reporters: “I just truly can’t believe it. Lucy is so dedicated to her job. She was a delight.”