Charlie Gard Dies in Hospice

04.08.2017

Charlie Gard has died after his life-support was withdrawn soon after he was moved to a hospice. Doctors said it was not possible to accommodate his parents’ “final wish” for him to spend his final hours at home.

The little boy’s parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, had asked for more time with their son after he was transferred from Great Ormond Street Hospital, but High Court judge Mr Justice Francis said doctors could stop providing treatment shortly after the 11-month-old arrived at the hospice.

An order issued by court officials on Thursday and drawn up by the judge set out arrangements for Charlie’s final hours, which acknowledged that the removal of life support would “inevitably result in Charlie’s death within a short period thereafter”.

The couple had said previously they did not expect Charlie to survive until his first birthday on August 4.

Ms Yates hit out at Great Ormond Street Hospital, which she said had “denied us our final wish”.

“We just want some peace with our son - no hospital, no lawyers, no courts, no media - just quality time with Charlie away from everything to say goodbye to him in the most loving way,” she said in a statement.

A hospital spokeswoman said Great Ormond Street had “tried absolutely everything” to accommodate the couple’s wishes, but “the risk of an unplanned and chaotic end to Charlie’s life is an unthinkable outcome for all concerned and would rob his parents of precious last moments with him”.

The hospital statement added: “We deeply regret that profound and heartfelt differences between Charlie’s doctors and his parents have had to be played out in court over such a protracted period.”

The statement said it had been a “distressing process for all concerned”, adding that nobody could fault Charlie’s parents for tirelessly advocating “for what they sincerely believed was right for their son”.

The Daily Telegraph. July 28.