LUCY Letby’s parents stood by the killer nurse’s side every day during her nine-month trial – in a reflection of the relationship they had with their only child.
The twisted nurse was on Friday found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill more.
This made the 33-year-old Britain’s most prolific child killer.
But John and Susan Letby supported their daughter from the minute she was taken off the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital after it was suspected she was murdering babies – and long prior to that.
When she graduated from university in December 2011 the proud pair contacted their local paper, the Hereford Times.
They wanted to mark the first person in their family who had landed such an achievement with an announcement.
The parents attached a picture of Letby wearing a mortarboard and holding her degree certificate with the words: “Letby Lucy BSc Hons in Child Nursing.
“We are so proud of you after all your hard work. Love Mum and Dad.”
But the killer nurse also gave pals an insight into her relationship with her parents – dubbing them “suffocating” at times.
Letby’s trial, which started in October last year, heard how she had a “mini-meltdown” after the deaths of three babies she messaged a colleague.
It was June 2015 and she wrote: “I just need some time with Mum and Dad.”
And after another baby suffered a collapse, she messaged a colleague who was moving to New Zealand.
Letby typed out: “Not brave enough to up and leave. I couldn’t leave my parents.
“They would be completely devastated. Find it hard enough being away from me now and it’s only 100 miles.”
Her colleague asked: “Where they based?”
Letby responded: “Hereford. I came here to uni and didn’t go back. They hate it and I feel very guilty for staying here sometimes.”
But she continued heading away with her parents at their requests – on their triannual trip to Torquay.
‘ONLY CHILD’
The twisted woman told another pal: “My parents worry massively about everything and anything, hate that I live alone, etc.
“I feel bad because I know it’s really hard for them especially as I’m an only child, and they mean well, just a little suffocating at times and constantly feel guilty.”
John and Susan continued to support Letby through and through – even heading along to a meeting she had with hospital bosses in 2017.
The meeting came six months after she was pulled from the neonatal unit following the death of two triplet boys.
It’s said that when Letby was first arrested in 2018, Susan cried out: “I did it, take me instead.”
One neighbour said the parents were distraught in the aftermath of the arrest.
They told The Times: “She’s an only child.
“Do I have to say anymore? I just feel for them so much. I feel so helpless that there is nothing we can do.”
And when Letby set to go on trial in Manchester, the family shifted from their Hereford home where they raised her to support her.
‘CANNOT BE RIGHT’
Then, while their daughter sat in the dock for nine months, the couple were often seen exchanging loving glances with her daughter.
Letby was also often seen trying to make eye contact with them.
On Friday, when the 33-year-old was told she was convicted, Susan collapsed into John’s arms.
She could be seen sobbing and at one point said: “You can’t be serious. This cannot be right.”
This week, a Judge said Letby would spend her life behind bars– but the coward wasn’t there to be handed her sentence.
However, nor were John and Susan.
Dr Sohom Das, consultant forensic psychologist and author of In Two Minds, said Letby’s parents would have been “quite blindsided” by her conviction.
The expert told the Times: “She didn’t have any criminal history. She wasn’t antisocial. She wasn’t previously violent.
“So I don’t think she telegraphed any of her intentions for any of her crimes.”
