Lucy Letby murdered 7 babies. There are also the ones who survived.

The world was collectively aghast at the shocking case of a neonatal nurse who deliberately and methodically murdered the vulnerable babies entrusted into her care. 

But Lucy Letby wasn’t just convicted of murder. She was also found guilty of attempting to kill several other babies, who, despite their survival, will spend the rest of their lives managing extensive and permanent disabilities. 

“I would pray for God to save her. He did. He saved her, but the devil found her.”

That’s how the father of ‘Baby G’ described the tragic turn of events, that saw his baby girl survive an extremely premature birth, arriving at just 23 weeks, only to have her life irrevocably damaged by Letby. 

Prosecutors allege Letby attempted to kill Baby G three times. On one of those three occasions, Letby put extra milk and air into the infant’s system, causing her to vomit violently and bleed from the throat, resulting in extreme brain damage. According to reports, Baby G is registered as blind, with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and is fed via a tube.

Watch: The moment Letby was arrested. Post continues below.

“(Baby G will) never have a sleepover with a best friend, or go to high school and graduate. She will never have a first kiss, a boyfriend, or get married. She will always be in her chair,” her father said in a statement.

Baby G’s mother has been left with extreme trust issues when it comes to the medical profession, despite being forced to rely on it due to her baby’s extensive needs. This is unsurprising according to Forensic and Clinical Psychologist, and author of Reclaim, Dr Ahona Guha.

“There's an immense betrayal when someone in a position of trust and authority offends in this manner, which can really break someone's faith in the world,” explains Dr Guha.

“When there is PTSD in the victims or their parents, it's possible that there will be some mistrust of the medical system and professionals, which is very challenging as many premature babies need higher levels of medical care over their lifespan. 

“It's so important for these parents to receive support and for them to be assisted to understand that Letby was a terrible anomaly, most health practitioners are caring and dedicated to their role and would never deliberately harm someone.”

Several other children were left with extensive and permanent injuries, as a result of Letby’s cruel and callous actions. 

‘Baby F’ lost his twin brother when the baby boy was murdered by Letby, but he too will suffer the consequences of her attempt to kill him by insulin poisoning, including learning difficulties and being non-verbal. 

“Our world shattered when we discovered evil disguised as a caring nurse,” Baby F’s mother said in a statement.

The boys were much-loved and desperately wanted, with their parents having endured several rounds of IVF before welcoming their twin sons. Their mother said Letby was well aware of their difficult journey, and had intentionally given them a "life sentence".

"No children in the world were more wanted than them."

‘Child N’ almost died after Letby shoved something hard down the little boy’s throat, causing it to swell and bleed, and preventing doctors from efficiently inserting a breathing tube. 

After a specialist team arrived from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Child N was intubated and put on a ventilator, which saved his life. While he has no lasting effects, Child N is homeschooled, because of the extensive trust issues his parents now experience. 

“When someone is the victim of a serious crime or the family member of a victim, there are likely to be some really difficult emotions — shock, fear, anger, anxiety that it will happen again, and hypervigilance,” explains Dr Guha.  

“If these responses take hold, especially if there is a sense that the world is uncontrollable and other people are dangerous, people may develop PTSD. 

“It's common for people with PTSD to avoid things which remind them of the trauma, and this might lead to difficulties like a distrust of medical professionals, or fear and avoidance of hospitals.” 

The mental and physical anguish experienced by these babies and their parents will be with them for the rest of their lives. 

“The parents of children with disabilities often have huge and complex emotions to contend with, especially when the disability is deliberately and maliciously caused by another,” says Dr Guha.  “There might be complex grief, a questioning of what-ifs, guilt, anger, and sadness.”

These psychological repercussions are further exacerbated by physical and financial costs of managing permanent disabilities. 

“There are many practical considerations to account for when a child has a disability and a larger amount of practical work and support required, and possible carer burnout – as well as the grief around the life a child could have had. 

“Add to this management of the medical complications which may arise, and there are likely to be many emotions and practical difficulties which arise.”

In the case of Letby’s victim’s, their trauma may be compounded by the extensive media coverage and intrusion into their lives. 

“It's really hard to see the media exposure in big cases and to be confronted with details about the case at every turn — this often cements the trauma and makes it harder to process,” explains Dr Guga.  

Knowing that Letby took such determined and purposeful action to kill - in some cases making repeated attempts on the same baby until she succeeded, one may wonder how she feels about those who survived her cruelty, and the permanent repercussions they will now endure. 

“It's hard to know how Letby may see the babies who survived her attacks - only she can answer that and it's looking likely that she is holding steadfast to her denial.”

Feature Image: The Independent