London, August 18: British nurse Lucy Letby was found guilty by the local police department for the murder of seven newborns and the attempted murder of six others. The conclusive verdict marks the conclusion of a prolonged case that has cast a shadow over England ever since a series of deaths in the neonatal unit, where the nurse was employed was initially uncovered almost seven years ago.

Letby (33) has been found guilty of the murder of five infant boys and two infant girls at the Countess of Chester hospital. These tragic incidents occurred during her night shifts in the years 2015 and 2016. Additionally, she has been convicted of assaulting six other newborns within the neonatal unit. According to the reports, the jury was informed that Letby allegedly administered insulin injections to poison some of the infant victims while others were subjected to injections of air or were forcefully fed milk.

Letby's deeds first came to the fore when senior medical professionals grew alarmed over the escalating count of inexplicable deaths and incidents of collapse in the neonatal unit. This unit caters to the care of premature or ailing infants, and the concerning trend persisted for a span of 18 months, commencing in January 2015. This prompted the hospital to begin an investigation in 2016. An independent review published in 2017 found no definitive explanation.

As the doctors were unable to find a medical reason, they involved police in the investigation and after a lengthy investigation, it was found that Letby had been involved in the care of the babies. During a search operation of her house, police found a handwritten note with the message ‘I AM EVIL, I DID THIS’.

After a 10-month trial at Manchester Crown Court, the verdict makes Letby as one of the most prolific serial child killers in Britain. Significantly, this trial also holds the distinction of being the lengthiest murder trial in the annals of British legal history. It's worth noting that the jurors reportedly engaged in deliberations for a total of 110 hours and 26 minutes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 19, 2023 09:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).