My brave boy has been given a death sentence
Dad vows to fight on as court rules sick tot must be allowed to die BATTLE TO SAVE ALFIE EVANS
ALFIE Evans’ dad said his son has been handed a death penalty as he lost his court battle to keep the coma tot alive.
A judge ruled life support could be withdrawn. But Tom, 21, vowed to fight on, saying: “This isn’t the end. I’m not giving up.”
LITTLE Alfie Evans must be allowed to “die with dignity”, the heartbroken parents of the terminally ill 21-month-old were told yesterday.
He needs peace and privacy to conclude his life with dignity MR JUSTICE HEYDEN IN HIGH COURT YESTERDAY
Tom Evans and Kate James heard it was no longer in Alfie’s interests to keep him alive and that medics could withdraw his life support as soon as Friday.
Tom, 21, vowed: “This isn’t the end. I’m not giving up, my son isn’t giving up. No one, I repeat, no one in this country is taking my boy away from me.”
Alfie’s family had hoped to take him overseas for treatment. But Mr Justice Hayden said at the High Court yesterday: “Alfie’s need now is for good quality palliative care to keep him as comfortable as possible at the last stage of his life.
“He requires peace, quiet and privacy in order that he may conclude his life as he has lived it: with dignity.”
Tom wept as the verdict was delivered in the High Court yesterday after a week of evidence from doctors for both sides.
Kate, 20, fled the court halfway into the hearing.
Outside the court later, Tom said: “My son has been sentenced to the death penalty. I know how wrong they are, I know how strong my boy is. We got the false impression we were at least going to get the dignity to go home with him but instead they want him dead on Friday.”
Alfie was born healthy in May 2016 but signs something was wrong began before his routine four-month check-up.
He has been in a coma since he was six months old and is cared for at Alder Hey children’s hospital in Liverpool.
Doctors from around the world are baffled by his illness, and agree only that the “remorseless” condition will prove fatal, and that there is no treatment, the High Court heard yesterday.
One of the family’s experts, Professor Nikolaus Haas of Ludwig - Maximilians University in Munich, Germany, said: “There have been numerous tests performed, unfortunately without any possibility to give the disease a known name. Maybe this disease will be ultimately named after him – Alfie’s disease.”
Tom and Kate wanted to take Alfie to the Vatican-linked Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome, which had offered to help tragic Charlie Gard last year as his parents had a similar High Court fight.
Despite “catastrophic” brain injuries and epileptic seizures, Tom and Kate insist Alfie responded to their touch, voices and kisses.
Mr Justice Hayden paid tribute to Alfie’s family after going to meet him at Alder Hey. He said: “[Mr Evans] is entirely besotted with his son. [Miss James]’s love for her partner and her son was obvious.”
But as with Charlie, who died in July after life support was withdrawn at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, Alder Hey said continuing life support was not in Alfie’s best interests.
Within minutes of the verdict, supporters outside Alder Hey were chanting “Release Alfie Evans” and “Parents’ Rights” broke out. Danielle Page, 32, of St Helens, Merseyside, said: “We will never give up the fight.” Stephanie Ryan, 28, from Walton, Liverpool, said: “Where there’s life, there’s hope.”
Alder Hey said: “We will continue to work with Alfie’s family to agree the most appropriate palliative care plan.”
Tom, who represented himself in court, was expected to apply to the judge for leave to appeal last night.