The mother of Baby E and Baby F, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, also told the inquiry that a consultant from the unit, whose name is also protected by a court order, had written to apologise for not being open and transparent about what was happening on the unit at the time of Baby E’s death.
Baby E was murdered by Letby in the early hours of 4 August 2015, after she injected air into his circulation, the inquiry heard.
She then attempted to murder his brother, Baby F, by injecting him with insulin on the following day.
The twins’ mother said it was a “really emotional moment” when she received the letter.
“It’s the first time that anyone from the Countess of Chester Hospital has apologised to us for what happened, and I think it was really brave of [the consultant] and a really kind gesture,” she said.
The same consultant also apologised to the family in court for not ordering a post-mortem examination after Baby E died.
The inquiry heard how the baby’s mother had walked in to find her son screaming, with blood on his face and Letby alone with him.
She told the inquiry, at Liverpool Town Hall, she believed she had interrupted Letby in the middle of her attack and caught her off guard.
The baby died a few hours later.
The next day his twin brother, Baby F, became suddenly ill with a surging heart rate, but recovered in the following days.
The baby’s mother revealed to the inquiry that the first time she knew that he had been injected with insulin was when the police asked her to take her son for an MRI scan as part of their investigation several years later.
The mother has made several suggestions for recommendations which she would like to see the Inquiry Chair Lady Justice Thirlwall make in her final report.
She has suggested that there should be mandatory post-mortem examinations for all babies who die on neonatal units, and there should also be a bereavement midwife on every neonatal unit or maternity suite.
The mother told the inquiry that she blamed herself for much of what happened.
Lady Justice Thirlwall told her that she had nothing to blame herself for and that she had done a huge public service by giving evidence.
The inquiry continues.
