The controversial case of children’s nurse, Lucy Letby, who was found guilty of murdering seven babies, has been put back under the microscope in a new Netflix documentary, The Investigation of Lucy Letby. The film speaks to those on both sides of the fence – including one of Lucy’s best friends, Maisie*, also a nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital for a time and who is adamant her friend is innocent, and a grieving mother, Sarah*, whose baby Zoe* tragically died while on the intensive care unit that Letby worked in.
Dr Dewi Evans, a consultant paediatrician who the prosecution called as an expert and who gave evidence against Letby, is also interviewed, along with Dr Shoo Lee, whose medical paper is the basis for some of Evans’ hypotheses, who disputes the doctor’s accuracy.
In 2024, Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and of the attempted murder of six more, making her the most prolific child serial killer of modern times.
At her sentencing, the judge told Letby: “You will spend the rest of your life in prison”.
Since her sentencing, criminal barrister Mark McDonald has been trying to make the case that Letby is being used as a scapegoat by the NHS hospital she worked for, given it was underperforming. McDonald claims Letby did not have a fair trial (citing that her defence team, did not call any expert witnesses and suggesting a handwritten note, where Letby says ‘I killed them’, was a reflection of the guilt she felt at the thought she could have unintentionally harmed the babies rather than a confession).
The Countess of Chester did not comment on the documentary, citing an ongoing public inquiry and a separate Cheshire Constabulary police investigation into corporate manslaughter. Letby’s defence team also declined.
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Some of the most harrowing scenes in the ITN production are of Letby’s arrest – something previously unseen, and which show her being woken up and taken from her bed, somewhat dazed, with one section featuring her mother’s distressed cries in the background. Letby is seen trying to soothe her mother and tell her to return back inside their family home, as she is taken away in handcuffs.
In a statement ahead of The Investigation of Lucy Letby’s release, Susan and John Letby told press that watching the new Netflix documentary – which they have labelled an “invasion of privacy” – would “likely kill [them]”.
“The previous programmes made about Lucy, including Panorama and the almost nightly news showing her being brought out handcuffed in a blue tracksuit are heartbreaking for us,” the said. “However, this Netflix documentary is on another level. We had no idea they were using footage in[side] our house. We will not watch it – it would likely kill us if we did.
“We have, however, stumbled on pictures of her being arrested in her bedroom in our house and her saying goodbye to one of her beloved cats, which are even more distressing. All this taking place in the home where we have lived for 40 years. It is in a small cul-de-sac in a small town where everyone knows everyone. It is a complete invasion of privacy of which we would have known nothing if Lucy’s barrister had not told us.”
In response, speaking exclusively to Cosmopolitan UK, director Dominic Sivyer and producer Caroline Short said they stand by their decision to include the uncomfortable snippets of film provided by the police.
Short told us, “We wanted to make an accurate portrayal of Lucy and, you know, throughout the production, we attempted to communicate directly – and also through Lucy’s legal team and through her friend – to ensure that they [Lucy’s parents] were aware of everything that we were doing and what our intentions were.”
The producer added, “But the material belongs to Cheshire Police and they agreed to deliver that to us. And so we felt that it was in the public interest to show it.”
As for trying to include the Letbys in the film, Sivyer and Short said they repeatedly asked for the nurse’s parents to be involved, but understood their decision not to, and feel Maisie’s voice helps to paint a balanced picture of the nurse’s character.
“We did talk directly to both parents during this process, but both made it really clear that they’d made a decision really early on not to participate in any documentary,” Short states. “I think we felt comfortable that as long as we had a continuous dialogue with both [Letby’s] lawyer and with her friend, they would be informed around what we were doing, why and how.”
At one point, Maisie, who claims she underwent a student placement at the same time as Letby, accuses the hospital staff of isolating Letby and of providing poor care to babies. She claims to have been left alone with a high-dependency baby as a student nurse, and being told, “If they go blue, just give us a shout.”
On 20 January 2026, the Crown Prosecution Service said it would not be changing Letby with any further offences.
In relation to a possible appeal in Letby’s case, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), an independent body, confirmed it had “received a preliminary application in relation to Ms Letby’s case, and work has begun to assess the application”.
* Name has been changed
The Investigation of Lucy Letby is on Netflix now
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
