Father taken ill as court rules Archie treatment can end
THE father of Archie Battersbee, a boy with severe brain damage, suffered a suspected stroke yesterday, shortly before Court of Appeal judges ruled the 12-year-old can be allowed to die.
Three appeal judges upheld a ruling by a High Court judge that doctors could lawfully stop treating Archie, whom they believe to be “brain stem dead” following a freak incident at his home.
Just before the hearing, Archie’s father, Paul Battersbee, had to be rushed to hospital after suffering a suspected stroke or heart attack. The judges refused to adjourn their ruling due to the medical emergency.
The schoolboy was found unconscious by his mother, Hollie Dance, at home in Southend, Essex, on April 7. He had a ligature over his head and his mother has said she thinks he might have been taking part in some sort of online challenge.
Archie was in cardiac arrest for around half an hour with no pulse, and never regained consciousness.
Ms Dance told the Court of Appeal that she had seen indications that Archie, who is attached to a ventilator, had twice tried to breathe for himself in the past few days, but their appeal was rejected.
Ms Dance vowed outside court that she would not give up her battle and implied that she might take the case further. She said: “We will continue this fight. We are discussing options with our lawyers. One possibility is the European Court of Human Rights.”
Ms Dance said she thought appeal judges should have adjourned the ruling once they knew that Mr Battersbee was ill, and added: “I do think it was insensitive.”
Ms Dance said her former partner, was last night having checks and would stay overnight in hospital.
Archie’s parents are being supported by the Christian Legal Centre, a campaigning organisation.
Andrea Williams, its chief executive, said outside court: “I am very disappointed that they have not adjourned this decision given that Mr Battersbee has been taken to hospital.”
She added that Ms Dance was “disgusted” that the hearing had not been adjourned.
Mr Justice Hayden delivered a ruling recently after reviewing evidence at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.
He described what had happened to Archie as a “tragedy of immeasurable dimensions”.
However, he said the medical evidence was “compelling and unanimous” and painted a “bleak” picture.