Archie Battersbee's mother says the 12-year-old 'fought right until the very end', months after doctors in London declared him brain-stem dead.
Archie Battersbee, a 12-year-old boy who had been in a coma for four months, has died at a London hospital after doctors ended the life-sustaining treatment his family had fought to continue.
The legal battle is the latest in a series of very public British cases in which parents and doctors have sparred over who is better qualified to make decisions about a child's medical care. Doctors at the Royal London Hospital argued there was no chance of recovery and he should be allowed to die.After a series of courts ruled it was in Archie's best interest that he be allowed to die, the family asked for permission to move him to a hospice.On Friday, High Court Judge Lucy Theis rejected the family's request, ruling that Archie should remain in the hospital while treatment was withdrawn.
That ruling was carried out Saturday after both the UK Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights refused to take up the case.Ella Carter, fiance of Archie's eldest brother, Tom, said Archie was stable for about two hours after the hospital stopped all medication."He went completely blue,'' she said. "There is absolutely nothing dignified about watching a family member or a child suffocate.
The best interests of the child take primacy over the parents' right to decide what they believe is best.Ilora Finlay, a professor of palliative medicine at Cardiff University and member of the House of Lords, said this week she hopes the Conservative government will hold an independent inquiry into different ways of handling these cases."The parents don't want to go to court. The doctors don't want to go to court.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
High court rejects family’s request to let Archie Battersbee die in hospiceDoctors treating 12-year-old gave evidence that risks of transferring him from Royal London hospital were ‘major and unpredictable’
Read more »
Mother of Archie Battersbee says she has done everything she promised himFamily preparing for life support to be withdrawn after attempt to have 12-year-old moved to a hospice fails
Read more »
Archie Battersbee dies after parents lose legal battle over life supportMother says 12-year-old ‘fought until the end’ following withdrawal of treatment at Royal London hospital
Read more »
‘We won’t cry’: Archie Roach farewelled at an emotional National Indigenous Music AwardsThe first in-person NIMAs since 2019 was a celebration of First Nations talent, both past and present – featuring tributes to Archie Roach and Gurrumul, plus big wins for Baker Boy. | By Meg Watson msmegwatson vale
Read more »
Archie Battersbee dies after parents lose legal battle over life supportMother says 12-year-old ‘fought until the end’ following withdrawal of treatment at Royal London hospital
Read more »
High court rejects family’s request to let Archie Battersbee die in hospiceDoctors treating 12-year-old gave evidence that risks of transferring him from Royal London hospital were ‘major and unpredictable’
Read more »