Lucy Letby: Medics fought to save baby boy, Letby trial told

A senior doctor has told of the "frantic" battle to save a previously stable baby boy allegedly attacked by nurse Lucy Letby.

The prosecution allege Ms Letby injected air into the boy's bloodstream causing a near fatal collapse in 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Dr Anthony Ukoh told the court prior to the incident the boy "looked well".

The 33-year-old denies murdering seven babies and attempting to kill 10 others at the hospital between 2015 and 2016.

Jurors at Manchester Crown Court heard how an emergency crash call went out to medics to help with Child M, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The call was put out at 16:02 BST on 9 April 2016 after Child M stopped breathing and his heart rate and blood oxygen levels dipped.

Dr Anthony Ukoh, who was on shift, said the boy "looked well" and "was settled" prior to the incident.

He added: "There wasn't any major concerns, no red flags. There wasn't any signs he was in any pain."

When Dr Ukoh arrived on the neonatal unit shortly after 16:00 he told the court that Child M "looked lifeless" and said there was a "frantic" battle under way to save him.

The court has heard that over 25 minutes medics gave CPR and administered six doses of adrenaline in a battle to stabilise him.

Asked about the boy's collapse, Mary Griffith, who was his designated nurse, told the court: "[Child M's] alarm went off, I looked over my shoulder, the lights were flashing.

"Lucy went over to see and said 'yes it's an event, it needs to be sorted'.

"At that point I stuck my head out round the door and asked for a resus call to be put out."

Another nurse on shift, who cannot be named for legal reasons, added: "Lucy and I walked over, she said [Child M] wasn't breathing, she asked for a crash call to go out.

"Lucy administered rescue breaths, I was beside Lucy."

The twins recovered following the events of 9 April and were discharged in early May 2016.

In his opening address in October to the jury, Ben Myers KC, defending, said there was "no obvious cause" for the collapse of Child M and "nothing in fact" to establish Ms Letby had poisoned Child L.

Jurors were also shown paperwork relating to Child M that was found in Ms Letby's home when she was arrested in 2018.

The blood gas report for Child M was found under a bed in the property in Chester.

A note of emergency drugs written on a paper towel that were given to Child M while he fought for his life was also discovered under the nurse's bed, the court was told.

The court has previously heard that in police interviews Ms Lebty, originally of Hereford, denied taking the blood gas report as a souvenir.

The trial continues.

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