Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering 7 babies. Medical experts claim she didn’t.

Lucy Letby. Just hearing her name is enough to send chills down your spine. She's considered one of Britain's most notorious serial killers, currently serving multiple life sentences for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven others.

Letby was a neonatal nurse, entrusted with caring for the most vulnerable newborns at the Countess of Chester Hospital's infant intensive care unit. But instead of protecting them, she did the unthinkable — abusing her position to take their tiny lives.

When an alarming spike in infant deaths and unexplained collapses occurred in the neonatal unit, an investigation was launched. It led police to Letby's front door.

In 2023, she was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

But now, a panel of international medical experts has made a bombshell claim: Letby didn't murder any babies. Here's what we know about the case and the new claims.

Watch: Police arrest Lucy Letby at home. Post continues below.

Who is Lucy Letby?

Born in 1989 in Hereford, England, Letby was described as quiet, studious, and deeply dedicated to her work. The first in her family to attend university, she graduated from the University of Chester and built her career at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

By 2012, she was working full-time at the hospital, and by 2015, she was qualified to care for the sickest, most vulnerable babies. In 2012 and 2013, Letby even became the face of the hospital's fundraising campaign for a new neonatal ward.

She later told the court she spent most of her time looking after the "sickest babies" on the unit, estimating she cared for hundreds of newborns during 2015 and 2016.

But when infant deaths at the hospital spiked, an internal investigation pointed to an alarming pattern. Soon, suspicion fell on Letby.

Lucy Letby in police custody in November 2020. Image: Getty.

The trial.

In July 2018, at just 28 years old, Letby was arrested at her home following an extensive police investigation, dubbed Operation Hummingbird. Hospital records revealed she was on shift for every case where a baby collapsed or died.

She was released on bail but arrested twice more before being charged in November 2020.

Throughout the trial, Letby denied all 22 charges against her, which included the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of 10 others.

During the investigation, police discovered handwritten notes in her home, one of which read, "I am evil, I did this." Her defence lawyer argued that the note was not a confession but rather "the anguished outpouring of a young woman in fear and despair."

The prosecution, however, painted Letby as a cold-blooded killer who manipulated medical records, gaslit colleagues, and even comforted grieving parents — all to cover her tracks.

Her trial lasted ten months, making it one of the longest murder trials in UK history. Prosecutors alleged that she deliberately injected air into babies' bloodstreams, overfed them milk, or poisoned them with insulin.

After 110 hours of deliberation, the jury convicted her of seven counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, sentencing her to 15 whole-life terms — meaning she will never walk free.

In July 2023, she was convicted of attempting to murder another newborn, adding to her previous convictions.

She has since lost two appeals — one in May 2023 for the original seven murders and seven attempted murders, and another in October 2023 for the attempted murder of a baby girl, tried separately.

Lucy Letby is arrested on July 3, 2018 in Chester, England. Image: Getty.

Medical experts dispute the evidence.

Now, in 2025, Letby's case is making headlines again.

A panel of international medical experts has questioned the evidence used to convict her, arguing that there is no medical proof she murdered the babies.

Panel chairman Dr. Shoo Lee, a neonatologist, told a press conference: "In all cases, death or injury was due to natural causes or poor medical care."

Lee, who co-authored a 1989 academic paper on air embolism in babies, has come out of retirement to support Letby's appeal, arguing that systemic healthcare failures, rather than Letby's actions, were responsible for the infants' deaths.

He also acknowledged the pain of the families involved: "We understand their stress and anguish. Our work is not meant to cause more distress but to provide them with the truth about what really happened."

In response to these findings, Letby's legal team has submitted an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), requesting an investigation into whether her case represents a miscarriage of justice.

The CCRC will now assess whether this new evidence warrants referring the case back to the Court of Appeal, a process that could take time due to its complexity.

In a statement, the CCRC said:

"We ask that everyone remembers the families affected by events at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016."

"We have received a preliminary application in relation to Ms. Letby's case and work has begun to assess the application. Further submissions are anticipated."

"It is not for the CCRC to determine innocence or guilt—that is a matter for the courts. The CCRC's role is to investigate and, if appropriate, refer potential miscarriages of justice to the appellate courts where there is a real possibility of a conviction being overturned or a sentence being reduced."c

Dr Shoo Lee attends a press conference to present new evidence regarding the safety of the convictions of former nurse, Lucy Letby. Image: Getty.

Families reactions to the Lucy Letby case.

Letby's story remains deeply divisive. Some believe she was wrongfully convicted, while others — particularly the families of the victims — stand by the original verdict.

The mother of a baby boy who Letby was convicted of attempting to murder slammed the attempts to free her as "upsetting" and "disrespectful".

"Every aspect of what they are doing is so disrespectful, it is very upsetting," she told the Daily Mail.

"They said the parents want to know the truth, but we've had the truth.

"We believe in the British justice system, we believe the jury made the right decision. We already have the truth and this panel of so-called experts don't speak for us."

What's next?

A public inquiry into how Letby was able to commit these crimes is underway, with investigators examining whether hospital management and the NHS ignored early warnings about her suspicious behavior.

Additionally, detectives from Cheshire Constabulary are continuing their review of approximately 4,000 babies admitted to the hospital while Letby worked as a neonatal nurse.

As Letby's legal team fights for an appeal, the case continues to divide experts, families, and the public. Could she have been wrongly convicted? Or is this just another chapter in one of Britain's most shocking criminal cases?

Feature image: Getty.