After the United Nations injunction that his life support should not be removed, Archie Battersbee’s parents have received a lifeline.
Hollie Battersbee and Paul Battersbee were Hollie and Paul’s parents. They had asked the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to reverse the decision of UK doctors to withhold the schoolboy’s manual intervention.
Both the High Court of London and Court of Appeal saw the couple lose fights.
His family argued that stopping his treatment would violate the UK’s obligations to Articles 10, 12 and 6 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Article 6 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Children.
After the announcement, Ms. Dance expressed her gratitude for another opportunity to save her son.
She added: “I am so grateful for the UN’s response and their quick action for my boy.
“We are now in so much stress, anxiety. We have already been broken. The not knowing what would happen next was exhausting. This news is crucial.
“This is the first ever time that this has happened in the history of the inhumane UK system.
“Even though there have been many bumps in the road, our faith has seen us put on all the armor of God and go into battle. Now, Archie is free to do what he wants.
Hollie and Paul Battersbee dance outside Royal Courts of Justice, London on Friday last week. Both the High Court of Appeal and Court of Appeal saw the couple lose fights. They asked doctors for Archie Battersbee to be continued his treatment.
Archie is now in a stable condition. Doctors are allowed to shut down his life support system, but Archie’s parents continue to fight for him. Archie is seen in the hospital.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court denied an appeal by medics asking for a ban on them from turning off their life support machine while they appeal.
They have been in touch with the Royal London Hospital Whitechapel bosses since then to try to get assurances that this will not happen as they appeal to UNRPD.
Archie’s parents had claimed that UNRPD protocols allow ‘individuals’ and ‘families’ to file complaints regarding violations of the rights of disabled persons.
The UK joined the Optional Protocol on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which permits the UNRPD request that the UK delay withdrawing life support until a complaint investigation is completed.
Family members argue that the UK would violate Articles 10-12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Article 6 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Children by stopping the treatment.
Andrea Williams, the chief executive officer of Christian Legal Centre, who has been helping the families, stated that they were delighted by the UN’s response. International scrutiny is a must for the UK’s policies regarding proactively ending childrens’ lives.
“We are now praying that the UN Committee will do justice to Archie, his family, and any other disabled persons in UK hospital’s in future cases.
“Life is our most valuable gift.
“We stood by the family since the very beginning, three months after the tragedy, and we continue to pray and support Archie and all those involved.
Archie (pictured) was discovered with a ligature on his head and hasn’t regained consciousness.
Archie (left) with Hollie Dance, his brother Tom Summers and Lauren Summers
Judges were informed that Archie was found unconscious by Ms. Dance with a ligature covering his head.
He might have taken part in an internet challenge, she believes. He hasn’t regained consciousness.
Archie was admitted to the Royal London Hospital Whitechapel east London. His doctors believe that he is brain-stem-dead and continue life-support is in his best interests.
Barts Health NHS Trust Trust Bosses had requested that Archie be informed of the best medical decisions.
Mrs Justice Arbuthnot (High Court Judge) initially looked at the case, and determined that Archie was deceased.
However, Court of Appeal judges upheld the challenge of his parents to Mrs Justice Arbuthnot’s decisions and ordered that evidence be reviewed by another High Court judge.
Today, as the last-ditch appeal was launched by Ms. Dance, Ms. Dance spoke out saying that no words could describe how devasted she is.
“The pressure placed on us by the time we started to rush the end of Archie’s story has been shameful.”
We have never asked for more time. It is strange that the court and hospital feel so urgent, even though other people have expressed their delight at our having more time.
Archie’s murder was not something I believed to be ‘dignified. This would be my most traumatizing outcome.
“Parents require support, not pressure.” What we’ve been through is very exhausting.
“We shouldn’t have to continue fighting the hospital in court for what is right for Archie.
“Top judges told us that this was the law. If this is true, then the law should change.
“We will keep fighting for Archie.