Doctors are due to switch off a 12 year-old boy’s life support unless a court issues a last-minute reprieve.
Archie Battersbee’s family has been involved in months-long legal battle with medical professionals who say they should stop treating the child as he is brain-stem dead.
His loved ones have taken their fight to keep him on life support to the Supreme Court, the High Court, the UN and the European Court of Human Rights.
His mother Hollie Dance has described the months since her son’s injury as an “emotional rollercoaster” .
Speaking on Thursday, she said: “I don’t think any other parent should have to go through this.
“I’ve said from day one I totally understand and respect that some parents out there might choose to do things differently, and I as a person totally respect other people’s decisions and other people’s views.
“However, this is ours and I know Archie‘s there and because of obviously everything that I’ve got evidence-wise and sort of backed up, and things that I’m seeing - Archie progressing on a daily basis - that is why I’ve continued to fight so hard.”
Here is a timeline of the case:
- April 7
Archie suffered an injury at his Essex home which left him brain-damaged. He was found unconcious and has been in intensive care ever since.
His mother believes the incident may have been linked to an online challenge.
- June 13
The High Court ruled doctors could legally switch off Archie’s life support, with a judge saying the boy had died at the end of May.
The court had been ordered to decide what was in Archie’s best interests as doctors wanted to stop treating the boy but had been met with resistance by the family.
- June 20
Archie’s family were given permission to appeal the High Court ruling.
Their barrister argued evidence had not shown “beyond reasonable doubt” that Archie was dead but the decision had been made on a balance of probabilities.
A judge said the Court of Appeal should consider the standard of proof issue.
- June 29
The family won their hearing at the Court of Appeal, who sent the case back to the High Court for reconsideration.
- July 15
The High Court upheld its previous ruling, saying doctors could go ahead and turn off Archie’s life support.
The new judge said: “This court has to ask itself whether continuation of ventilation in this case is in Archie‘s best interests.
“It is with the most profound regret, but on the most compelling of evidence, that I am driven to conclude that it is not.”
- July 25
The Court of Appeal rejected the family’s bid to appeal the second High Court ruling.
- July 28
The Supreme Court refused to grant Archie’s family a stay to halt hospital bosses from taking the boy off life support
His family asked for this as they wanted to make an application to the United Nations.
- July 29
Archie’s family asked the United Nations to look into their life support battle.
On the same day, the UN asked for the 12-year-old to remain on life support while it considers the case.
- July 31
The government asked the High Court to “urgently consider” the UN request to delay Archie’s removal from life support.
- August 1
Doctors were initially due to withdraw life support at 2pm.
But a High Court hearing took place on the same day to look at whether to keep Archie on life support while the UN considers the case, with the hospital agreeing to wait for the result.
– August 2
Archie’s parents are refused permission to appeal against the latest ruling at the Supreme Court.
Ms Dance said Barts Health NHS Trust will begin to withdraw Archie’s life support on August 3 at 11am unless the family have submitted an application to the European Court of Human Rights by 9am that day.
The trust will not begin removing life-support until all legal issues have been resolved.
– August 3
The European Court of Human Rights refuses the last-ditch application. Archie’s family say they intend to ask the High Court to allow the schoolboy to be moved to a hospice.
– August 4
Nearly four months after Archie suffered traumatic head injuries, his parents formally lodge High Court proceedings over the move to hospice care – something the hospital opposes. Archie’s care continues.
