Mum who asked terminally ill son tragic question before ending his life dies days after confession
77-year-old Antonya Cooper has passed away just days after admitting that she administered her son with a lethal dose of morphine.
Antonya, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, told BBC Radio Oxford last week that she had given her son, Hamish, who was suffering from cancer, a dose of morphine that 'quietly ended his life' 40 years ago.
Hamish was suffering from a rare childhood cancer - stage 4 neuroblastoma - and died at home in 1981, aged seven.
Antonya was a former chairwoman of Neuroblastoma UK, and shared that her tragically suffering son was in 'a lot of pain' by the end of his life.
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She made the admission to BBC Radio Oxford: “I gave him a large dose of morphine that did quietly end his life.”
Today (8 July) BBC reported that Antonya, who had been suffering from incurable cancer, had died.
The statement provided by her family said: “She was peaceful, pain-free, at home and surrounded by her loving family.
“It was exactly the way she wanted it. She lived life on her terms and she died on her terms.”
BBC further reported that Antonya's family received a visit from Thames Valley Police officers after the details regarding Hamish's death became public.
The police previously stated that they were 'aware of reports relating to an apparent case of assisted dying of a seven-year-old boy in 1981'.
They added: “At this early stage, the force is making inquiries into these reports and is not in a position to comment further while these investigations continue.”
'The time was right'
Prior to her passing, Antonya revealed her son's final moments to PA Real Life in May.
She said: “In the middle of the night, we were by his bedside.
“He was expressing that he had pain and I said "Would you like me to take the pain away?"
“He said "Yes please, Mama", and so I gave him a dose of morphine sulphate through his Hickman catheter.
“We had watched him brave through all that beastly treatment, we had had him for longer than the original prognosis, so the time was right.”
Ultimately, euthanasia is illegal in England.
If charged, the person who took the other life could be prosecuted for murder or manslaughter.
Antonya described her choice to join the Swiss assisted dying clinic Dignitas, and further called on the UK government to legalise assisted dying.
She wanted this to be fulfilled in order to allow death that is not 'so intolerably inhumane'.
The BBC asked Antonya if she knew that she had just potentially admitted to the manslaughter or murder of her son.
She simply responded: "Yes."
She later added: “If they come 43 years after I have allowed Hamish to die peacefully, then I would have to face the consequences. But they would have to be quick, because I’m dying too.”
Kya Buller