British authorities have announced the arrest of three senior leadership team members from the hospital where Lucy Letby, a nurse found guilty of murdering infants, was employed, under suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
Letby, hailing from Hereford, is currently serving 15 whole life sentences after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more, including two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016.
Law enforcement stated that investigations into corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter are still ongoing.
After Letby’s conviction, police launched an inquiry into potential corporate manslaughter offenses at the hospital, which was later extended to examine if individuals might be liable for gross negligence manslaughter.
The investigation is centered on the Countess of Chester Hospital.
“This investigation focuses on senior leadership and their decision-making to ascertain if any criminal activity occurred regarding the elevated levels of fatalities,”
Mr. Hughes mentioned that in March of this year, the investigation’s scope “expanded to also encompass gross negligence manslaughter.”
“This is distinct from corporate manslaughter and pertains to the grossly negligent actions or inactions of individuals,” he explained.
He emphasized that this “does not affect the convictions of Lucy Letby for multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.”
As part of the ongoing inquiries, Mr. Hughes indicated that on June 30, three individuals from the senior leadership team at Countess of Chester Hospital during 2015 to 2016 “were arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.”
The three unnamed individuals have been released on police bail while further investigations continue, he reported.
Mr. Hughes stated that “both the corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter investigations are ongoing,” adding that “there are no established timelines for these.”
“Our investigation into the deaths and non-fatal collapses of infants at the neonatal units of both the Countess of Chester Hospital and the Liverpool Women’s Hospital, spanning the years 2012 to 2016, is also ongoing,” he stated.
