Judge says Connie and Chris can’t have extra few days with terminally ill son
CHARLIE Gard’s parents last night said the doctors who cared for him had denied them their final wish.
Mum Connie Yates and dad Chris Gard have battled tirelessly to spend extra precious days with their terminally ill son.
But yesterday, a judge ruled that the boy must be moved to a hospice where he will die before his first birthday a week today.
Connie said in a statement: “Great Ormond Street Hospital have denied us our final wish.
“We just want some peace with our son. No hospital, no lawyers, no courts, no media – just quality time with Charlie away from everything to say goodbye to him in the most loving way.
“This morning, two doctors came forward to offer their help to grant Chris and I our final wish, which was to spend a few days to make precious memories with our beloved son away from the hospital environment.
“These doctors were willing to share the care and to be on site 24/7.
“We also had a team of intensive care nurses who would be by Charlie’s bedside 24/7 on rotation.
“Despite us and our legal team working tirelessly to arrange this, the judge has ordered against what we arranged and agreed to what GOSH asked.
“This gives us very little time with our son. I’m not allowed to disclose the time or place but I’m shocked that after all we’ve been through, they won’t allow us this extra time. ”
Tests in October 2016 revealed Charlie had a rare strain of mitochondrial depletion syndrome.
He was taken to hospital at eight weeks old and has never been allowed home.
Connie and Chris had hoped he could come home to die but finally accepted that he would go to a hospice after a court hearing on Wednesday.
They had until noon yesterday to find an expert willing to take care of him for a last few days but when they failed to meet the deadline, High Court judge Mr Justice Francis approved a plan that will see Charlie’s life support treatment withdrawn.
A GOSH spokeswoman said: “Every single one of us wishes there could have been a less tragic outcome.
“Charlie’s parents have tirelessly advocated for what they sincerely believed was right for their son and nobody could fault them for doing so.”