About this episode

Ed and Melissa explore the controversial case of Lucy Letby, a nurse convicted of murdering infants, and the subsequent debates surrounding the evidence and trial.

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode covers the deaths of infants. Ed and Melissa handle it with care, but please listen accordingly. In 2015 and 2016, the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in the UK recorded a disturbing spike in unexplained infant deaths. The investigation — codenamed Operation Hummingbird — eventually zeroed in on one suspect: a quiet, introverted nurse named Lucy Letby. After a 10-month trial, Lucy was convicted of murdering 7 babies and attempting to murder 6 more. She received 15 whole life terms — the longest sentence possible in the UK. The case rocked Britain. But not everyone is convinced justice was served. A panel of 14 elite international neonatal physicians — assembled voluntarily by the Canadian doctor whose research was used to convict her — reviewed all 17 cases and unanimously concluded: no crimes were committed. The medical evidence, they say, was misunderstood. Add to that: a lead prosecution expert witness with a documented pattern of tailoring testimony to whichever side hires him. A defense team that called zero medical experts. And a handwritten note that reads 'I AM EVIL, I DID THIS' — which prosecutors called a confession and…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ed, Melissa

Topics covered

• true crime
• infant deaths
• medical investigation
• neonatal care
• legal controversy
• UK criminal case

Keywords

• Lucy Letby
• infant deaths
• neonatal unit
• Operation Hummingbird
• UK trial
• medical evidence
• criminal justice

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Countess of Chester Hospital, Operation Hummingbird

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