Nurse charged with murder of 8 babies in U.K. held in custody

LONDON — A nurse accused of killing eight babies and trying to kill another 10 at a hospital in northwest England was remanded into custody Thursday, a day after she was charged with murder and attempted murder.

Lucy Letby, 30, was remanded in custody after appearing via video link during a brief 10-minute hearing at Warrington Magistrates’ Court. She sat behind a desk, next to her lawyer, and confirmed her name, date of birth and home address.

No pleas were entered and Letby will appear at Chester Crown Court on Friday.

Letby was arrested Tuesday following an investigation into deaths at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital, south of Liverpool. The deaths relate to the period between June 2015 and June 2016.

Police launched an investigation into the deaths of a number of babies at the hospital in May 2017. Letby was arrested Tuesday for the third time in connection with the deaths. She was previously arrested in 2018 and 2019, and both times was released on bail pending further investigation without being charged.