The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Staff Reports
Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 12:28 PM
WORLD: Parents End Effort To Save Baby Charlie Gard's Life Monday
Attorney Grant Armstrong said at London's High Court it was too late for the 11-month-old child to receive treatment. Recent medical tests revealed Charlie has irreversible muscular damage.
"It's too late for Charlie," Armstrong said. "The damage has been done."
Charlie's parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, cried in the courtroom as the lawyer announced the news -- their last bid to seek permission to take their child to the U.S. for treatment.
"As Charlie's devoted and loving parents we have decided that it's no longer in Charlie's best interests to pursue treatment and we will let our son go and bewith the angels," Yates said in court.
The couple was expected to present new evidence in court on Monday, but they arrived in court to say the dragged out case has wasted "time. A whole lot of wasted time."
"Had Charlie been given the treatment sooner he would have had the potential to be a normal, healthy little boy," Yates said, referencing the recent medical test that ultimately led to the couple's decision to withdraw.
"I only wanted to give him a chance at life," Yates said. "We will always know in our hearts that we did the very best for Charlie and I hope that he is proud of us for fighting his corner."
Armstrong said the appeal withdrawal is
"worthy of a Greek tragedy" and the couple now wishes "to spend the
maximum amount of time they have left with Charlie." Private discussions
will be held regarding when Charlie's life support will be switched off.
Charlie, who was born on Aug. 4, 2016, suffers from a rare genetic
condition, Mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. He has brain damage and
is unable to breathe on his own. Doctors at Great Ormond Street
Hospital, where Charlie has been treated since last October, have been
locked in a prolong court battle, claiming more treatment would only
cause pain to the child. They have argued to switch off Charlie's life
support to allow him to die peacefully.
But Charlie's parents dispute the claim and have argued that their child
should receive every possible treatment until his death.
Supporters of critically ill baby Charlie Gard shout and hold placards
before his parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard arrived at the High Court
in London, Monday, July 24, 2017. The parents of the 11-month old, who
has a rare genetic condition and brain damage, are returning to court
for the latest stage in their effort to seek permission to take the
child to the United States for medical treatment. (AP Photo/Matt
Dunham)Expand / Collapse
Supporters of critically ill baby Charlie Gard shout and hold placards
before his parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard arrived at the High Court
in London, Monday, July 24, 2017. (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.
All rights reserved.)
"There has never been any proof that he was and we still don't think
that he's in pain or suffering to this day," Yates said in court on
Monday.
"Having said that, we have decided to let our son go and that's for one
reason and one reason only. It is because the prospect of improvement is
unfortunately now too low for Charlie," she added.
The hospital spokesperson also said earlier though their view on
Charlie's treatment has not changed, it was the parents' right to hear
evidence on the proposed experimental treatment. On Monday, the hospital
released a statement saying it will be formulating "the best possible
plan for [Charlie's] end of life care."
"It is greatly hoped that in the days ahead, it will be possible to
extend to his parents the same quality of care with which Charlie has
been provided and to concentrate on the family as a whole," the
statement read.
The hospital also said it will "give careful thought" and learn from
"this bruisng court case," but also hope others will "reflect" on what
happened.
CHARLIE GARD'S DISEASE AND LEGAL CASE: AN EXPLAINER
The case grabbed international attention and received support from
leaders such as Pope Francis and politicians.
President Trump also tweeted his willingness earlier in the month to
lend a hand – and in doing so exposed the debate over who should make
life-and-death decisions for Charlie to a massive audience.
"If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and
the Pope, we would be delighted to do so," Trump wrote.