British Supreme Court: Archie Cannot Recover

Court refuses to prevent a hospital from withdrawing life support
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 2, 2022 12:43 PM CDT
British Supreme Court: Archie Cannot Recover
The mother of Archie Battersbee, Hollie Dance, center, speaks to the media outside the Royal Courts of Justice on July 25, 2022. The high court declined to prevent a hospital from ending life-support treatment for a 12-year-old boy who has suffered catastrophic brain damage.   (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP)

Britain’s Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to prevent a hospital from withdrawing life support from a 12-year-old boy with catastrophic brain damage, rejecting a bid by his parents to extend his treatment. Per the AP, the parents of Archie Battersbee had asked the court to block a lower court’s ruling that the Royal London Hospital can turn off the boy’s ventilator and stop other interventions. Archie’s treatment was due to end at noon on Tuesday, but the hospital said it would await the Supreme Court’s decision.

In their ruling, justices said Archie had "no prospect of any meaningful recovery," and even with continued treatment would die in the next few weeks from organ and heart failure. Archie was found unconscious at home with a ligature over his head on April 7. His parents believe he may have been taking part in an online challenge that went wrong. Doctors believe Archie is brain-stem dead and say continued treatment is not in his best interests. Several British courts have agreed. The family appealed to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and wanted the withdrawal of treatment put on hold while the committee examines the case.

"We do not understand what the rush is and why all of our wishes are being denied,” said Archie’s mother, Hollie Dance. In declining to overturn a lower court’s ruling, a panel of three Supreme Court judges said, "The panel reaches this conclusion with a heavy heart and wishes to extend its deep sympathy to Archie’s parents." (More British courts stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X