Lucy Letby: Baby's death was unexpected, nurse's trial hears

A doc has described the "traumatic" nighttime a babe allegedly murdered by Lucy Letby "suddenly deteriorated".

Ms Letby has been accused of sidesplitting 7 babies and attempting to execution 10 others astatine Countess of Chester Hospital successful 2015 and 2016.

The 32-year-old denies 22 charges.

It is alleged she fatally injected an excess magnitude of aerial into the bloodstream of 1 babe earlier attempting to execution his sister successful the aforesaid way.

Paediatric registrar Dr David Harkness, was connected work connected the evening the archetypal baby, referred to arsenic Child A died, successful June 2015.

He told the proceedings astatine Manchester Crown Court it was "very unexpected".

"This was a wholly stable, good baby, who had nary crushed to abruptly deteriorate, truthful I was precise amazed to beryllium called back," helium said.

"He had precise antithetic patching of his skin, which I person ne'er seen before.

"The patches were blue, purple, reddish and white. I've ne'er seen it earlier oregon since. It didn't travel and spell - it came and past helium went into cardiac arrest."

Dr Harkness said the "abnormal" patches were "all over" Child A's assemblage and helium had lone ever seen it successful 1 different child.

The assemblage earlier heard Child A could not beryllium fixed fluids for astatine slightest 4 hours betwixt 16:00 and 20:00 connected the time helium died aft trouble fitting a umbilical venous catheter (UVC).

A UVC allows fluids and medicines to beryllium fixed without often replacing an intravenous line.

A enactment shown to the tribunal from caregiver Melanie Taylor, who was connected work connected the time Child A died, stated: "UVC successful incorrect position, reinserted. Again successful incorrect position. Cannula tissued. Doctors engaged connected ward. Aware nary fluids moving for a mates of hours."

Ms Letby's defence barrister Ben Myers KC asked Ms Taylor: "He should person been getting fluids during this four-hour period, shouldn't he?"

Ms Taylor responded: "Yes."

The nurse, primitively from Hereford, denies each the offences, which are said to person been committed betwixt June 2015 and June 2016.