Archie Battersbee, a boy who had been in a coma for four months died on Sunday after being taken off of life support. The decision to do so had been at the center of court battles between his family who wanted to continue treatment for the boy and his doctors who believed taking him off life support was in his best interest.
"I'm the proudest mum in the world," Dance said as she stood outside the hospital and wept. "Such a beautiful little boy and he fought right until the very end."
Doctors diagnosed Archie as brain-stem dead after what was most likely an attempt at an internet challenge. After courts ruled that continuing to treat Battersbee would not be in his best interest, the family asked if they could move their child to hospice, the hospital said Archie’s condition was so unstable he would most likely die if they attempted to move him.
High Court Judge Lucy Theis rejected the family’s request, ruling that the boy should remain in the hospital while he is being taken off of life support. The ruling was carried out on Saturday after both the U.K. Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights refused to take on the case.
"Their unconditional love and dedication to Archie is a golden thread that runs through this case," Theis wrote in her decision. "I hope now Archie can be afforded the opportunity for him to die in peaceful circumstances, with the family who meant so much to him as he clearly does to them."
The decision came after last month when another high court judge ruled that it would be “futile” to continue treating him.
In Britain, the best interests of a child takes precedence over the parents’ desires. It is common for courts to intervene in matters such as these when the parents of a child disagree with doctors on medical treatment.
But a relative of the family, Ella Carter, called it “barbaric” to watch the boy be taken off of life support.
“His stats remained completely stable for two hours until they completely removed ventilation and he went completely blue,” Carter said. “There is absolutely nothing dignified about watching a family member or a child suffocate. No family should ever have to go through what we have been through – it is barbaric.”
Supporters of the family came to the hospital with cards, flowers and candles.
“Our thoughts, prayers and support are with Archie’s family at this tragic moment,” said Andrea Williams, who is the chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre. “We will continue to support the family, as we have done throughout, ever since they came to us after being issued with last-minute legal proceedings to remove life support from Archie.”