Lucy Letby Inquiry Report Publication Delayed Until Early 2026

The final report from the public inquiry into how serial killer nurse Lucy Letby was able to commit her crimes at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit has been delayed until early 2026. Lady Justice Thirlwall, chair of the inquiry, is expected to send 'warning letters' to those who may be criticized in the report starting September 2025, with the report's completion targeted for late November 2025 before publication. Letby, convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others between 2015 and 2016, is serving 15 whole-life orders and has lost recent appeals against her convictions. The Criminal Cases Review Commission is reviewing evidence from an international panel of medical experts who argue that the babies' collapses were due to poor medical care and natural causes, a conclusion rejected by the victims' families' lawyers as flawed and a rehash of Letby's defense. Concurrently, Cheshire Constabulary continues investigations into the deaths and non-fatal collapses at the neonatal units, as well as a separate probe into possible corporate manslaughter and gross negligence at the hospital. The inquiry also assesses the hospital's response to earlier concerns raised about Letby before her arrest.