Archie Battersbee’s parents file last minute appeal over life support withdrawal

Archie Battersbee’s parents have filed a last minute appeal to the Supreme Court, just moments before his life support was due to be switched off.

The Supreme Court has confirmed it had received the application this afternoon, and would consider it as a matter of urgency.

Doctors had announced yesterday that they would be withdrawing Archie’s treatment at 12pm today (August 2nd), but since the appeal, staff at the Royal London Hospital are waiting for the direction from the court.

Judges will now consider whether to extend his life-sustaining treatment to allow time for a United Nations committee to consider the twelve-year-old’s case.

Archie’s mother Hollie Dance said, as per Sky News: “We are having to battle over every decision with the hospital.

“There is nothing dignified in how we are being treated as a family in this situation. We do not understand what the rush is and why all of our wishes are being denied.

“I know Archie’s still with us. Archie’s showing very different signs to what the clinicians are actually putting over to the courts. He’s very much there, he’s progressing in so many ways.

“We pray for an encouraging response from the Supreme Court.”

Archie’s parents were yesterday granted a hearing at the High Court after the government asked the courts to ‘urgently consider’ a request from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (UNRPD).

However, the court concluded that the decision for the hospital to lawfully withdraw life support treatment should still stand.

A stay was granted for treatment to continue until 12pm today, Tuesday August 2nd. 

Archie was found unconscious at his home in Southend, Essex in April this year after taking part in what is believed to have been an online challenge. Archie’s parents have persistently appealed for their son to be given more time to recover from his brain injury, despite doctors stating it would not be in his best interests.