Archie Battersbee life support treatment to end, judge rules

Mrs Justice Arbuthnot has ruled that Archie, who has been at the centre of a High Court life-support treatment dispute after suffering brain damage, is dead and that life support treatment should stop.

Doctors treating Archie Battersbee at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, think the youngster is "brain-stem dead".

Read more >>> Updates as High Court judge rules Archie Battersbee's life support should end

They said life-support treatment should end and Archie should be disconnected from a ventilator.

Archie's mum Hollie Dance (PA)

Archie's parents, Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee, from Southend, Essex, say the youngster's heart is still beating and want treatment to continue.

Read more >>> Judge to deliver ruling on future of boy in life-support treatment fight

Mrs Justice Arbuthnot on Monday ruled that Archie was dead and said doctors could lawfully stop treating him.

The judge said in a written ruling: "I find that Archie died at noon on May 31 2022, which was shortly after the MRI scans taken that day.

"I find that irreversible cessation of brain stem function has been conclusively established.

"I give permission to the medical professionals at the Royal London Hospital to cease to ventilate mechanically Archie Battersbee."

Archie Battersbee

Mum Hollie Dance has said she is devastated and disappointed after the ruling.

She said in a statement: “I feel sickened that the hospital and the judge have failed to take the wishes of the family into consideration. I do not believe Archie has been given enough time. From the beginning I have always thought ‘why the rush?’

“His heart is still beating, he has gripped my hand, and as his mother, I know he is still in there. Until it’s God’s way I won’t accept he should go. I know of miracles when people have come back from being brain dead.

“This case raises the significant moral, legal and medical questions as to when a person is dead. What does this ruling today tell us about where our society is at? We intend to appeal and will not give up on Archie.”