ARCHIE Battersby’s devastated mother yesterday accused him of a “choreographed execution” after judges ruled that doctors could take his life support off from midday today.
12 years old — found unconscious after an apparent online challenge — is diagnosed with “the brain stem is dead“.
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He is in a deep coma and his body cannot function without support.
Judges of the Court of Appeal ruled that keeping him alive was against his best interests – and rejected his parents’ claim that stopping the treatment was a breach of his human rights.
Last night, hopes of a breakthrough were dashed for Archie’s mum Holi dance and dad Paul Battersby as they sat by his bed London Royal Hospital in the east London.
The couple said they would go to Supreme Courteven if he refused to entertain the previous one address.
Ms Dance said: “We promised Archie we would fight to the end. And Archie is still fighting.
“If tomorrow is the last day, then so be it, but we will appeal to the Supreme Court.
“I have the best interests of my son Paul and my siblings at heart – no one else has Archie’s best interests at heart.
“And I say, and I still stand by it, that it would be in Archie’s best interest to give this kid time to recover.
“If it doesn’t recover, it doesn’t recover, but give it time to recover.”
Ms Dance said the hospital handed her a letter on Saturday night containing Archie’s “choreographed performance”.
She said: “There was no meeting, they sat down and broke down gently. We were handed a letter and left to deal with our feelings.
“It was very exhausting. The stress level is off the charts. It hurts a lot. It’s been a very difficult few months, an emotional roller coaster.”
Archie was found at home in Southend, Essex, on April 7 with a “ligature” around his neck.
His mother thinks he was doing “Blackout Challenge“, a TikTok a trick that encourages people to hyperventilate until they pass out.
Ms Dance said: “Please, please, parents, talk to your kids because I know there are a lot of new issues online.
I don’t want any parent to have to go through what we went through and I certainly don’t want any more children to lose their lives.
Mrs. Dance
“Please talk to your children. I don’t want any parent to go through what we’re going through, and I certainly don’t want any more children to lose their lives.”
Doctors say Archie is effective the brain is deadsurvived only with the help of a ventilator and because he is fed through a tube.
He is said to die “almost immediately” after being taken off life support.
Court of Appeal heard that Archie had lost a lot of weight and his heart and organs were “in the process of shutting down”.
the judge Sir Andrew Macfarlane said: “The options before the court have always been tough.”
Archie’s parents argued that his treatment should continue United Nations may investigate whether his human rights would be violated as a result of his removal.
But Mr McFarlane ruled that the court’s decision was in line with the European Convention on Human Rights and said the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities had no status in UK law.
Archie’s parents are supported by the Christian Law Center.
The Department of Health and Social Care said: “We recognize that this is an exceptionally difficult time for Archie Battersbyfamily”.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19390236/archie-battersbee-nhs-execution-life-support/
