Three Chester Hospital Managers Arrested Gross Negligence Manslaughter

Three senior leaders from the Countess of Chester Hospital have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter following an extensive police investigation initiated after nurse Lucy Letby's conviction for murdering seven babies and attempting to kill several others between 2015 and 2016. The arrests mark a focus on hospital management's potential criminal liability concerning their response to increased fatalities during Letby's tenure. The investigation, launched in October 2023 and expanded in March 2025 to include gross negligence manslaughter alongside corporate manslaughter, continues without a set timeline, with all arrested individuals bailed pending further inquiries. Police emphasized that this probe into hospital leadership does not affect Letby's convictions, who is serving 15 whole-life sentences. The broader investigation also covers incidents at neonatal units in both the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women's Hospital from 2012 to 2016. Authorities remain committed to uncovering any systemic failings or individual negligence that may have contributed to the tragic events.