Archie Battersbee dies after life support is turned off

The 12-year-old's family make an emotion announcement

Author: Rob WallerPublished 6th Aug 2022
Last updated 6th Aug 2022

The family of Archie Battersbee have made a tearful announcement that the 12-year-old boy from Essex has died in hospital after his life support system was switched off.

Speaking through tears outside the Royal London Hospital, Hollie Dance said: "In sadness, Archie passed at 12.15pm today.

"I would just like to say I am the proudest mum in the world.

"He was such a beautiful little boy. He fought right until the very end and I am so proud to be his mum."

'A tragic case' - Royal London Hospital

The Chief Medical Officer at the Royal London Hospital , Alistair Chessar, released a statement saying: "Archie Battersbee passed away on Saturday afternoon at The Royal London Hospital after treatment was withdrawn in line with court rulings about his best interests.

"Members of his family were present at the bedside and our thoughts and heartfelt condolences remain with them at this difficult time.

"The trust would like to thank the medical, nursing and support staff in the paediatric intensive care department who looked after Archie following his awful accident.

"They provided high quality care with extraordinary compassion over several months in often trying and distressing circumstances.

"This tragic case not only affected the family and his carers but touched the hearts of many across the country."

Mutiple court battles

The 12-year-old has been in a coma since he was found unconscious by his mother in April and is being kept alive by a combination of medical interventions, including ventilation and drug treatments.

Doctors treating the schoolboy for the last four months declared Archie to be "brain-stem dead", prompting a lengthy but ultimately failed legal battle by his family to continue his life support treatment in the hope he would recover.

Archie's parents had fought a long-running legal battle over the withdrawal of treatment and in recent days made bids to the High Court, Court of Appeal and European Court of Human Rights to have him transferred to a hospice to die.

A last-ditch plea to the European Court of Human Rights to intervene in the case was rejected late on Friday, following a High Court ruling that he must remain at Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London.

READ MORE: Archie's family lose last legal fight

READ MORE: Palliative care expert calls for inquiry after Archie Battersbee case

Judge rules in favour of hospital

In a High Court ruling on Friday morning, Mrs Justice Theis concluded it was not in Archie's best interests to be moved to a hospice and the Court of Appeal rejected permission to appeal that decision.

The campaign group Christian Concern, who have been supporting the family, said they wanted to challenge the High Court ruling by arguing there had been a violation of articles six and eight of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Article six is the right to a fair trial and article eight is the right to respect for private and family life.

A spokesman for the European court said it had received a request from representatives of Archie's parents under Rule 39, which allow it to apply "interim measures" in "exceptional" cases, and that the complaints "fell outside the scope" of that rule, and so it would not intervene.

The Court of Appeal judges said Mrs Justice Theis' ruling in the High Court dealt "comprehensively with each of the points raised on behalf of the parents".

The judges said they had "reached the clear conclusion that each of her decisions was right for the reasons she gave".

They added: "It follows that the proposed appeal has no prospect of success and there is no other compelling reason for the Court of Appeal to hear an appeal."

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