Archie Battersby.
Archie Battersby, the brain-dead 12-year-old boy whose parents struggled to get additional treatment, will be taken off ventilators today. His mother reports this to the British media.
The story of Archie Battersby, a 12-year-old boy who ends up in a coma after an online challenge goes awry, has not only touched the UK but also the entire world. Archie’s parents hoped that doctors would continue to treat the boy. But experts from the Royal London Hospital said that was no longer possible after four months.
Mother Holly dance at the Royal London Hospital. – © AP
What followed was a legal search for help. Battersby’s parents took on a number of urgent cases, until it turned out that no one could help and there was no longer any appeal. For example, the European Court of Human Rights rejected a final application.
Parents hoped to transfer their son to another hospital, where they could say goodbye to the boy in peace. But they weren’t allowed to do that either because it would be too risky.
The hospital has now told Archie’s parents that they will be severing support on Saturday. This will happen around 11am Belgium time. “The hospital has made it clear to us that there are no other options,” Holly Dance’s mother told Sky News. “I did everything I promised my son.”
