Doctors believe a 12-year-old boy at the centre of a life-support treatment dispute is “very likely” to be “brain-stem dead”, a high court judge has heard.
Archie Battersbee has been treated by medics at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, after suffering brain damage two months ago.
Doctors treating him say the ventilator providing his life-support treatment should be switched off but his parents, Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee, disagree.
A specialist, who cannot be named, told a high court judge on Tuesday that tests had shown no “discernible” brain activity, but revealed “significant areas of tissue necrosis”. She added: “We believe that it is very likely that he is brain-stem dead.”
However, lawyers representing the family told the judge that his heart is still beating. They also raised questions about whether “the correct procedure” had been followed, and if the “family’s views” had been given full consideration.
Royal London Hospital’s governing trust, Barts Health NHS Trust, has asked Mrs Justice Arbuthnot through its lawyers to decide what actions should be taken in Archie’s best interests.
Archie, from Southend in Essex, lost consciousness after an incident at his home on 7 April left him brain damaged. His mother said she found him unconscious with a ligature over his head and believed he may have been taking part in some sort of internet challenge. Archie has not regained consciousness since being admitted to the east London hospital.
She previously urged the judge to give her son, a keen gymnast, “more time”. “Everyone is in such a rush,” she told the PA news agency. “I’m asking the judge to just give him more time – give him time to fight back. It’s only been five weeks – it took me longer to get over the flu. What’s the rush?”
Arbuthnot was told by a specialist at an earlier hearing that the brain stem was responsible for the functions that kept people alive.
A campaign organisation called the Christian Legal Centre is supporting Archie’s family. Andrea Williams, its chief executive, said after an earlier ruling was made for tests: “This case raises the significant moral, legal and medical question as to when a person is dead.
“Archie’s parents do not accept that he is dead and are fighting for his life.”
The final hearing, in the family division of the high court in London, is expected to end on Wednesday.
