Archie Battersbee family move case to European Court of Human Rights

• Archie Battersbee’s parents have petitioned the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to delay the discontinuation of his life support.
• The 12-year-old has been receiving life-sustaining treatment since April.
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• On Tuesday, the Supreme Court denied an appeal against the decision to discontinue therapy.

Archie Battersbee’s parents have petitioned the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to delay the discontinuation of his life support.

The 12-year-old has been receiving life-sustaining treatment since April, and it was set to be discontinued sooner.

It will continue until the ECHR decides on the case.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court denied an appeal against the decision to discontinue therapy.

Hollie Dance, Archie’s mother, expressed “relief” that a new application was made.

Archie was discovered unconscious at his home in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on April 7; his mother believes he was participating in an online challenge at the time.

The Royal London Hospital, where Archie has been treated since April, is operated by the Barts NHS Health Trust, which stated that no changes to his care would be made until legal challenges were resolved.

Doctors claim he is “very likely” brain-stem dead with no possibility of revival and that terminating life support is in his best interests. Continuing treatment, according to a High Court judge, is “futile.”

Ms Dance said of the ECHR application, “We are quite relieved, we have to battle every decision with the hospital.”

“We now hope and pray that the ECHR will look favourably on the application. We will not give up on Archie until the end.”

she said: “I am hoping that they will step in and give Archie a right to live. I think that he deserves that.”

Ms Dance said she had received offers to care for her son from health providers in Japan and Italy.

“If this country can’t treat him or they’re not willing to treat him, where is the harm in allowing him to go to another country?” she added.

According to the Christian Legal Centre, which has been supporting Archie’s parents’ action, the appeal presented to the ECHR asks for interim remedies to postpone the withdrawal of life-support while the UN analyses the matter.

The ECHR confirmed in a statement that it had received an application, which was being processed.

“Our sincerest sympathies are with Archie’s family, and we intend to provide the best possible assistance to everyone at this sad time,” said Alistair Chesser, chief medical officer for Barts Health NHS Trust.

“As directed by the courts, we will work with the family to prepare for the withdrawal of treatment, but we will make no changes to Archie’s care until the outstanding legal issues are resolved.”

Judges on the Court of Appeal previously ordered that his life-sustaining treatment should end at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

However, this was postponed while the Supreme Court heard Archie’s parents’ appeal.

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