UK Appeals Court Upholds Decision to Remove Newborn Girl’s Life Support Against Parents’ Consent
In a distressing ruling, the UK appeals court has upheld a previous decision allowing a hospital to remove life support from a newborn baby girl without her parents’ consent. The case involves 8-month-old Indi Gregory, who is suffering from a rare degenerative mitochondrial disease and has been receiving life-sustaining treatment at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, England.
Despite the efforts of Indi’s parents to fight for her life and the offer of care from a Vatican hospital, the high court ruled that it was in the child’s best interests to be taken off life support. Indi’s parents appealed the ruling, but their challenge was dismissed by the UK Court of Appeal in a remote hearing on Friday. The court has now set a date for the removal of Indi’s life support on Monday.
The decision has sparked outrage from Indi’s parents and their supporters. Dean Gregory, Indi’s father, expressed his disappointment, stating that they have always wanted what is best for their daughter and believe she has the right to receive the best treatment possible. He questioned why Indi couldn’t be transferred to Italy, where the government has offered to fund her treatment.
Indi’s case has received international attention, with the Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital in Rome agreeing to accept her for treatment. Indi was granted Italian citizenship, and her Italian guardian made an urgent application to the UK High Court requesting that jurisdiction of the case be ceded to the Italian courts under the 1996 Hague Convention. The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, also wrote to the UK’s Lord Chancellor, urging collaboration between the two countries to facilitate Indi’s transfer to Rome.
Despite these efforts, the UK court’s ruling remains in effect. The pro-life legal group Christian Concern, which is representing the Gregory family, criticized the decision and called for the collaboration between Italy and the UK to be acknowledged.
The Gregory family has emphasized that Indi’s condition is treatable and that she has responded positively to her parents’ touch, even though she requires breathing support from a ventilator. Experts at the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital believe that a right ventricular outflow tract stent procedure could address Indi’s breathing problems and potentially enable her to survive without artificial ventilation. The Italian government has offered to cover the cost of the treatment.
The case of Indi Gregory raises significant ethical questions and highlights the differences in approach between nations when it comes to protecting the rights and lives of vulnerable individuals. It remains to be seen how the UK courts will officially respond to the application made by Indi’s Italian guardian. In the meantime, Indi’s parents and their supporters continue to fight for their daughter’s chance to live.
Overall, the ruling by the UK appeals court has upheld the decision to remove newborn Indi Gregory’s life support against her parents’ consent. The case has drawn global attention, with offers of care from a Vatican hospital and support from the Italian government. The outcome of this case shines a light on the complex ethical considerations surrounding the rights of parents and the best interests of the child.
