The 12-year-old sadly passed away yesterday after life support was withdrawn
A legal group supporting the family of Archie Battersbee have called for an “urgent review and reform” in the wake of the 12-year-old’s death yesterday.
“The events of the last few weeks raise many significant issues including questions of how death is defined, how those decisions are made and the place of the family,” said Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of The Christian Legal Centre, as per Sky News.
“No one wants to see other families experience what they have been through. We need to see urgent review and reform of the system.”
Archie was seriously injured during an accident at his Essex home which took place back in April 2022.
Since then, the 12-year-old had been in a coma and was being kept alive by life support equipment and various medical assistance while his family battled the legal system in order to continue his treatment. Unfortunately this was ultimately unsuccessful.
Despite the schoolboy’s heart still continuing to beat and his mother, Hollie Dance, saying he had gripped her hand, doctors declared Archie “brain stem dead” and suggested that his treatment should come to an end.
Archie was taken off life support and medication at 10am on Saturday August 6 and passed away at around 12.15pm that afternoon.
“There is absolutely nothing dignified about watching a family member or a child suffocate,” said Ella Rose Carter, the fiancée of Archie’s older brother Tom.
“We hope no family has to go through what we have been through. It’s barbaric.”
The Christian Legal Centre offered thoughts and condolences to Archie’s family during this “tragic moment”.
Barts Health NHS Trust Chief Medical Officer Alistair Chesser said: “Members of his family were present at [Archie’s] bedside and our thoughts and heartfelt condolences remain with them at this difficult time.”
“The trust would like to thank the medical, nursing, and support staff in the paediatric intensive care department who looked after Archie following his awful accident.
“They provided high-quality care with extraordinary compassion over several months in often trying and distressing circumstances. This tragic case not only affected the family and his carers but touched the hearts of many across the country.”
Standing outside the Royal London Hospital shortly after Archie’s passing, his mum said that she was the “proudest mother in the world” and and assured that Archie “fought until the very end.”
BREAKING: Archie Battersbee's family say he has died after his life support was withdrawn.https://t.co/zyKQH0zBGg
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 6, 2022
Related links:
- Archie Battersbee dies age 12 as life support is withdrawn
- Archie Battersbee’s mum may give son mouth-to-mouth when life support is turned off
- Kate Garraway pulls out of Good Morning Britain as husband Derek takes ‘serious turn for the worse’
