The parents of Archie, who is in a coma, appeal to all instances of the British judiciary to prevent his death. Unsuccessful. They then place their hopes in the European Court of Human Rights. But he does not want to interfere in the decision of the Supreme Court judges.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has rejected an emergency request for further ventilation of Archie, who was classified as brain dead. The President of the ECtHR decided today not to issue the requested temporary injunction, the Court announced in the evening.
Despite defeats in all instances of the British judiciary, the parents of the twelve-year-old boy do not want to accept the end of life-sustaining measures. A few hours before the devices were to be switched off today, Wednesday, the family's lawyers submitted an application to the ECtHR in Strasbourg, the British news agency PA reported. "One hopes and prays for a positive decision from the court," said Archie's mother, Hollie Dance. "We will not give up on Archie to the bitter end."
The twelve-year-old boy suffered serious brain injuries in a domestic accident in April - possibly during a Tiktok dare. He has been in a coma ever since. The devices keeping the boy alive at a London hospital were supposed to be shut down today. In the fight for their son's life, Archie's parents have failed in all legal instances. The Supreme Court - the highest British court - rejected the previous day an application with which the parents wanted to obtain the continuation of life-sustaining measures.
The Supreme Court justices said that since there was no prospect of true recovery, life support would only "prolong dying." The case is reminiscent of similar disputes over terminally ill children in Great Britain. The financially squeezed British health service tends to withdraw life support much sooner than would be the case in Germany. In addition, the wishes of parents and relatives are not taken into account to the same extent. What is in the best interests of the patient is often decided by judges on the recommendation of medical professionals.
