Baby in right-to-life court battle dies
Doctors are expected to discontinue life support to the child later today
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Saturday, 21, Mar 2009 09:27
The terminally ill nine-month-old baby at the centre of a right-to-life High Court case has died, it has emerged.
Doctors who were treating baby OT were told earlier today that they could discontinue their help for the child.
The parents of the infant, who was suffering from a rare metabolic disorder, brain damage and required a ventilator, said they were "deeply distressed" by the verdict – which was final as there was no further avenue to appeal the decision.
Doctors contended that treatment should no longer continue as the baby had little chance of recovery and was in unbearable pain.
However, Mr and Mrs T said "their belief in his humanity" meant they could not accept the medical advice of staff at the hospital.
Speaking about the ruling, the parents, who cannot be identified for legal reasons said: "We are and always will be convinced that despite his desperate problems his life is worthwhile and is worth preserving as long as it is possible to do so without causing him undue pain.
"That was the real argument between us and the doctors - they think his life is intolerable and that his disability is such that his life has little purpose; but we, along with some of the nurses, believed that he experiences pleasure and that he has long periods where he was relaxed and pain free."
In the ruling, the judge, Mrs Justice Parker, rejected the argument that ending life support treatment would be a breach of the child's right to life under the European Convention on Human Rights.
"I bear in mind that OT is a unique human being," she said.
"His life is valuable. But OT does not have the right to be kept alive in all circumstances. OT has the right to life. OT does not have the right to be kept alive."
Treatment to the nine-month-old was consequently ended by doctors this afternoon.