The parents of two triplet boys, Child O and Child P, who were murdered by Lucy Letby, a 33-year-old nurse, in June 2016, have spoken out about the devastating impact her actions had on their lives. The boys, who were naturally conceived identical triplets, were born at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where Letby was working.
Letby, who became the designated nurse for the triplets on their first shift back at work after a break in Ibiza, injected air into the bloodstream of Child O and his stomach through a nasogastric tube. She also administered air into the stomach of Child P and inflicted physical trauma on the livers of both boys. The unexplained and unexpected collapses of the boys led to their deaths, with Child O passing away first, followed by Child P the next day.
Their parents, who had begged medics to transfer the surviving triplet from the hospital after the collapses, felt unable to give their victim personal statements at Manchester Crown Court and instead had their comments pre-recorded on film. The boys’ father told the court that a specialist consultant had informed him and his partner that it was “extremely rare” to see naturally conceived identical triplets, and staff at the hospital referred to the pregnancy as “a miracle”.
The day after Child P’s death, the hospital staff’s reactions were “inconsolable and apologetic”, with Letby, the last person to hold Child P, appearing “inconsolable and apologetic” as well. The parents’ statements revealed the emotional toll of their sons’ deaths on them, with the father describing the feelings of despair, anxiety, and hopelessness that followed.
Killer nurse Letby
He recalled: “I felt like I had been stabbed in the heart. No words could describe how I was feeling. I kept wishing it had happened to me and at that time would have gladly taken his place.” The mother also spoke out, saying that she believed she had infected all three of her sons when the complications arose and that Letby had destroyed their lives.
The father revealed that he turned to alcohol about a year after his sons’ deaths and had thoughts of ending his life. He felt “gobsmacked” when he was told by police that a nurse had been arrested, but “also relieved that there was finally some sort of explanation”. He also expressed his anger and hatred towards Letby, saying that she had destroyed his life as a man and a father.
Both parents made it clear that they will never forget the pain and suffering caused by Letby’s actions, with the father stating: “Lucy Letby has destroyed our lives. The anger and the hatred I have towards her will never go away.”
