Lucy Letby, a nurse previously convicted of multiple baby murders, is on retrial for the attempted murder of Child K on February 17, 2016, at Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit.

Letby is accused of deliberately displacing the premature baby's endotracheal tube, causing critical drops in blood oxygen levels. Consultant paediatrician Dr. Ravi Jayaram reportedly caught her standing motionless beside Child K's incubator during a desaturation event. Letby, who denied any wrongdoing, is partway through her defense testimony, while prosecutors argue that she interfered with the tube several times to create a false impression of the infant's condition.

The incident in question occurred in the early hours of February 17, 2016, when Child K, a severely premature baby, experienced sudden drops in blood oxygen levels. Letby, who was 26 years old at the time, was working in the neonatal unit at Countess of Chester Hospital. Prosecutors allege that Letby intentionally displaced the baby's endotracheal tube, leading to these critical desaturation events. According to Dr. Ravi Jayaram, a consultant paediatrician, he found Letby standing beside Child K’s incubator, failing to take any action as the baby's oxygen levels fell.

Dr. Jayaram's testimony describes how he discovered Letby in a suspicious situation during one of Child K's desaturation episodes. He noted that there were no alarms sounding from the hospital monitors, which should have indicated the baby's deteriorating condition. This unusual lack of alarms adds to the suspicion that Letby was intentionally causing harm. Despite being caught 'virtually red-handed,' Letby maintains that she does not recall this specific incident and denies that she attempted to murder Child K.

The defense, led by Ben Myers KC, has been rigorously questioning Letby in court. Letby continues to deny any intent or action to harm Child K or any other baby under her care during her tenure at the hospital. When questioned about the events surrounding Child K, Letby insisted that she would never attempt to harm any infant and reiterated her stance, stating, 'I am not guilty of what I was found guilty of.'

It is important to note that Letby is not accused of causing the eventual death of Child K. The baby, prematurely born and facing numerous health complications, was transferred to a specialist hospital where she died three days later due to her extreme prematurity. Prosecutors have been clear in stating that the charges pertain only to the alleged attempted murder during the desaturation event, not to the baby's subsequent death.

This retrial unfolds against the backdrop of Letby's previous convictions. During the initial trial, Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others at the same hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. The methods of attack cited by the prosecution included injecting insulin, milk, or air into the infants' bodies, actions that led to sudden and unexplained health deteriorations. Letby, however, continues to deny her involvement in these incidents.

One of the critical points raised by the prosecution involves Letby's actions following the incident. Two years after the alleged attempted murder, Letby reportedly searched for Child K's surname on Facebook, just ten weeks before her first police interview. Prosecutors suggest that this online search indicates a continued and unusual interest in the baby, further solidifying their accusations against her.

Nursing practices and policies have also come under scrutiny during the trial. Elizabeth Morgan, a nursing advisory consultant, testified that it would be against normal nursing protocol to allow a premature baby like Child K to 'self-correct' during a desaturation event. This testimony contradicts any suggestion that Letby’s inaction could be seen as a reasonable response under hospital procedures. Instead, it underscores the abnormality of her alleged behavior during the incident.

Prosecutors argue that Letby was actively trying to create the impression of a naturally unstable condition in Child K by interfering multiple times with the baby's breathing tube. They allege that such actions were designed to mask the artificial nature of the desaturation events and to divert suspicion from deliberate wrongdoing.

Throughout the retrial, Letby has continued to present her side of the story, maintaining her innocence amidst mounting evidence and testimonies. Her current testimony is part of a broader defense strategy aimed at challenging the prosecution's portrayal of her actions as intentional and malicious. Letby’s defense hopes to cast doubt on the prosecution’s narrative through thorough cross-examination and by highlighting inconsistencies in the allegations against her.

The court has also imposed a strict order prohibiting the reporting of the identities of the surviving and deceased children involved in the case. This measure aims to protect the privacy and dignity of the infants and their families, ensuring that their personal details do not become a public spectacle.