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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Alahna Kindred

Archie Battersbee's parents in final court bid 2 hours before life-support ends

Archie Battersbee's parents have made an 11th-hour attempt to stop doctors from turning off the schoolboy 's life support.

Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee had until 9am this morning to make an application to the European Court of Human Rights, Archie's machine is due to be switched off at 11am.

This morning the chief medical officer for Barts Health NHS Trust confirmed they are working with the family to prepare for the withdrawal of treatment.

Alistair Chesser said in a statement: "Our deepest sympathies remain with Archie's family and we aim to provide the best possible support to everyone at this difficult time.

Archie Battersbee, 12, suffered a catastrophic brain injury (PA)

"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."

In a statement, the ECHR said it has received an application for interim measures and that it is being processed.

The application follows last night's Barts Health NHS Trust lawyers brutally telling Archie's family that he cannot be moved to a hospice and that if an application to the ECHR is not received by 9am life-support will be withdrawn at 11am.

The boy's family want him to be moved to a hospice if these are to be his final days (Hollie Dance / SWNS)
Archie's family said the atmosphere in hospital is 'chaotic' (PA)

Ms Dance said they are now waiting for the European Court of Human Rights to get back to them.

Speaking outside the hospital, she said: "I am hoping that they will step in and give Archie a right to live. I think that he deserves that."

She said two countries have come forward to offer her son treatment, adding: "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?"

Hollie Dance (right), speaks to the media outside the Royal London hospital in Whitechapel, east London (PA)

She says she's received offers of help from Japan and Italy.

She added she is now considering options that involve moving him outside the UK.

The 12-year-old has been in a coma since he was found unconscious by his mother in April.

Archie is currently being kept alive by a combination of medical interventions, including ventilation and drug treatments, at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, East London.

Archie had been in a coma since April (PA)
The boy's parents had fought to keep his ventilator switched on (Hollie Dance / SWNS)

Doctors treating him have said he was brain-stem dead and that continued life-support treatment was not in his best interests.

Ms Dance told reporters this morning that she is "running on empty", adding: "Yesterday was a very down day for me.

"People that know me know I won't stay down for long, especially when it comes to fighting for my son's life.

Archie has been in a coma since April after he suffered a catastrophic brain injury (PA)
Archie Battersbee with his mother Hollie Dance (PA)

"I promised Arch, same with his dad, that we will fight 'til the bitter end, and that's exactly what we're going to do.

"We're going to fight for the right for my son to live."

She added: "I'm not going to lie, I am broke, and at some point I am going to need serious therapy, but I haven't got time to think about me at the minute.

"This is a serious fight for my son's life and I'm up against the biggest system and a trust that I haven't got time to break down at the moment."

It follows a dramatic week after Archie's separated parents were granted a Court of Appeal hearing on Monday after the Government asked judges to urgently consider a request from a UN committee to keep treating Archie while it reviews his case.

At that time, Archie's life support was due to be switched off on Monday afternoon, but the Court of Appeal hearing didn't conclude until late afternoon.

The three judges considering the matter then refused to postpone the withdrawal of treatment beyond midday on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Ms Dance and Mr Battersbee dramatically submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court asking for treatment to continue while the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) - and was denied.

The mother of Archie Battersbee, Hollie Dance, speaks to the media outside the Royal London hospital (PA)

Yesterday evening, the parents said they were refused to move Archie to a hospice and were told his life support will be turned off at 11am on Wednesday unless they submit an application to the European Court of Human Rights by 9am.

Ms Dance said: "The courts are going on and really focusing in on the word dignity.

"What is dignified in dying in a busy hospital room full of noise with the door open, people coming in and out continuously, when Archie could be in a very peaceful garden with squirrels and wildlife running around to have his life support withdrawn there."

Archie Battersbee's family were denied being allowed to move Archie to a hospice (Hollie Dance / SWNS)

But she said that is "worst case scenario", reiterating there "other countries" that "want to take Archie and they want to treat him".

Archie was found unconscious at his home by his mother on April 7 and has not regained consciousness since. She believes he was taking part in an online challenge.

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