Former Coroner Expresses Dismay Over Undisclosed Letby Suspicions

A former senior coroner expressed that it was “horribly disappointing” to him that he had not received information regarding suspicions linking Lucy Letby to the deaths of infants. The neonatal nurse was responsible for the murders of seven infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital during the period from June 2015 to June 2016, with every one of these fatalities being reported to Nicholas Rheinberg, who served as the senior coroner for Cheshire at that time. During a public inquiry examining the events surrounding Letby’s offenses, it was revealed that her initial three murder victims had air injected into them over a two-week span in June 2015. Although Mr Rheinberg stated he had initially considered the concentration of deaths to be “worrying”, he subsequently concluded they “seemed to be explicable” after additional inquiries were conducted. The Thirlwall Inquiry has been informed that Letby was identified as a recurring factor in several unexplained fatalities as early as July 2015. Consultant paediatricians conveyed to hospital executives their concerns that Letby might be intentionally harming infants after the deaths of two triplet boys in June 2016. Mr Rheinberg, who occupied the senior coroner’s position in Cheshire from July 1999 until his retirement in March 2017, indicated he had no knowledge of these conversations. “It’s horribly disappointing,” he stated during the proceedings at Liverpool Town Hall. He further remarked, “We should approach all these tragedies not just in our own ivory towers but we should share all information because we might individually have pieces of the picture to put together.” He also commented: “I was probably regarded as a bit of a pain as I would go to the police with any suggestion of criminality.” The inquiry was informed that consultant Dr Ravi Jayaram failed to disclose his suspicions concerning Letby when he testified at an inquest in October 2016 regarding the death of Child A, the neonatal nurse’s initial victim. When questioned by Peter Skelton KC, who was representing Child A’s family, about his response to that undisclosed information, Mr Rheinberg responded: “Absolute horror. “Why not? Why wouldn’t you? If that had come out at the inquest I think I would have adjourned. “It wouldn’t have gone on any further and I would [have] probably sought police involvement.” Hospital management did not contact Cheshire Constabulary until May 2017 to initiate an investigation into a rise in infant fatalities. The inquiry has been informed that executives at the Countess of Chester chose instead to authorize a sequence of reviews. In January 2017, Mr Rheinberg was provided with a copy of one such review, originating from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Nevertheless, certain sections of it had been redacted. A particular section of the report, which was excised before being given to the coroner, indicated that hospital personnel had established a connection between a particular nurse and the deaths, and that some medical practitioners were “convinced” Letby played a role. Mr Rheinberg informed the inquiry: “Certainly, so far as I was concerned, there was not a whisper of any suspicion.” Letby, aged 34, from Hereford, is currently serving 15 whole-life orders following her conviction at Manchester Crown Court for the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of seven additional babies, including two attempts on one of her victims. The inquiry is anticipated to continue its proceedings until early 2025, with its conclusions slated for publication by late autumn of the same year. Further reporting was provided by the Press Association. The best content from BBC Radio Merseyside is available on Sounds, and BBC Merseyside can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story suggestions can also be sent to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.