Alfie Evans’ Parents Ask European Court of Human Rights to Stop Hospital From Yanking His Life Support

International   |   Dave Andrusko   |   Mar 27, 2018   |   10:35AM   |   London, England

It’s official. Following defeat in numerous courts in Great Britain, Tom Evans and Kate James, the parents of little Alfie Evans, are asking the European Court of Human Rights to halt the withdrawal of Alfie’s ventilator as an “interim measure.”

Jenny Kirkham of the Liverpool Echo reported today that

a spokeperson for the ECHR have said that judges are considering an application from the couple.

The spokesperson said no decision had been made yet.

The spokesperson added: “The court has received a request for an interim measure to stay the withdrawal of Alfie Evans’s treatment.

“The court is still considering that request.”

Alfie, who was born May 9, 2016, has a devastating degenerative brain disorder that has baffled physicians and specialists. Alfie has been a patient at Alder Hey Childrens’ Hospital since December 2016. The hospital has asked the courts for authority to disconnect Alfie’s ventilator.

The parents have asked for permission to move Alfie to a hospital in Rome for further evaluation and possible additional treatment.

The hospital balked at the request. They argue Alfie’s condition is terminal and that the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome can do nothing more than Alder Hey already has.

On February 20, after a seven-day hearing, Mr. Justice Hayden concluded, “I am satisfied that continued ventilatory support is no longer in Alfie’s interests,” and that maintaining Alfie alive on a ventilator would compromise his “future dignity,” mirroring the conclusions reached by Alder Hey Childrens’ Hospital.

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Evans and James appealed but on March 6, Lord Justices McFarlane and McCombe and Lady Justice King of the nation’s second highest court concurred with the ruling of Judge Hayden. Last week the nation’s Supreme Court turned down the parents’ request to appeal, leaving an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights as the only recourse open to them.

Evans posted an angry response last week on the Facebook of “Alfie’s Army” following a meeting with the hospital, Kirkham reported:

“Alfie isn’t dying or unstable he is growing, putting weight on, responding etc.

“He is not dying so Alder Hey do not have the right to remove his life from his parents or himself!!!”

Mr Evans went on to say that he asked Alder Hey if he could take Alfie home “to a suitable setting with the private facilities and team to let him die in his own time with no further escalation of treatment and we will never return to Alder Hey and we will buy the vent and pay for the team out of Alfie’s medical funds!!!

“We are being denied this!!!!! Alder Hey want Alfie dead and on their time scale with their plans!!! Whose son is he???

“Does he belong to the government or me and Kate???!!!”

LifeNews.com Note: Dave Andrusko is the editor of National Right to Life News and an author and editor of several books on abortion topics. This post originally appeared in at National Right to Life News Today —- an online column on pro-life issues.