The “heartbroken and angry” family of a baby girl targeted by killer nurse Lucy Letby say they may never know why she tried to murder her.

On Tuesday, Letby, 34, was found guilty at Manchester Crown Court of the attempted murder of the infant during a night shift at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neo-natal unit.

Last August, Letby was convicted at the same court by another jury of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others at the unit between June 2015 and June 2016.

A verdict on the allegation concerning a baby girl, known as Child K, could not be reached and a retrial at the same court was ordered on that single count.

On Tuesday, Letby was convicted after three-and-half hours of deliberation by the fresh jury of trying to murder the “very premature” baby by dislodging her breathing tube in the early hours of February 17 2016.

Letby struck after the infant was moved from the delivery room to the neo-natal unit.

The youngster, born at 25 weeks’ gestation and weighing just 692g, was said by the prosecution to be the “epitome of fragility”.

About 90 minutes after her birth, Letby interfered with the breathing tube through which she was being ventilated with air and oxygen.

Consultant paediatrician Dr Ravi Jayaram caught her “virtually red-handed” as he entered the unit’s intensive care room at about 3.45am and he then went on to intervene and resuscitate Child K.

Dr Jayaram told jurors he saw “no evidence” that she had done anything to help the deteriorating baby as he walked in and saw her standing next to the infant’s incubator.

He said he heard no call for help from Letby or alarms sounding as Child K’s blood oxygen levels suddenly dropped.

Child K’s parents, sitting on the back row of the public gallery, gasped as the jury foreman delivered the verdict and then cried, while Letby blankly looked on from the dock.

On the steps of Manchester Crown Court, Detective Inspector Andrea Price of Cheshire Constabulary, representing the family liaison team, read out a statement on behalf of Child K's family.

The statement read: "Words cannot effectively explain how we are feeling at this moment in time.

"To lose a baby is a heart-breaking experience that no parent should ever have to go through. But to lose a baby and then learn of the harm that was inflicted under these circumstances is unimaginable.

"Over the past seven to eight years we have had to go through a long, torturous and emotional journey, twice.

"From losing our precious new-born and grieving her loss, to being told years later that her death or collapse might be suspicious. Nothing can prepare you for that news.

"Today, justice has been served and a nurse who should have been caring for our daughter has been found guilty of harming her. But this justice will not take away the extreme hurt, anger and distress that we have all had to experience.

"It also does not provide us with an explanation as to why these crimes have taken place.

"We are heartbroken, devastated, angry and feel numb. We may never truly know why this happened.

"Words cannot express our gratitude to the jury. We recognise that this has not been an easy task for them and we will forever be grateful for their patience and resilience throughout this incredibly difficult process.

"The police investigation began in 2017 and we have been supported from the very beginning by a team of experienced and dedicated Family Liaison Officers. We want to thank these officers for everything they have done for us not only once but twice. 

"Medical experts, consultants, doctors and nursing staff have all given evidence at court, which at times has been extremely hard for us to listen to.

"However, we recognise the determination and commitment that each witness has shown in ensuring that the truth was told. We acknowledge that the evidence given by each of them has been key in securing today's verdict.

"Finally we would like to acknowledge and thank the investigation team and, more recently, the prosecution team who have led the trial to a successful conclusion. The search for the truth has remained at the forefront of everyone's minds and we will forever be grateful for this.

"We would now ask for time in peace to process what has happened as we come to terms with today's verdict."