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Emma Guinness
A High Court judge today ruled that Archie Battersbee should be allowed to die after spending more than three months in a coma.
But his mum Hollie Dance has said she will keep fighting to give her son more time despite the ruling to stop the treatment, which the court says is 'futile' and not in his 'best interests'.
As reported by The Sun, Hollie said: "This ruling is a crushing blow to Archie and his family. With all due respect to Mr Justice Hayden, it is not in Archie's best interests to die.
"We disagree with the idea of dignity in death. Enforcing it on us and hastening his death for that purpose is profoundly cruel.
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"It is for God to decide what should happen to Archie, including if, when and how he should die."
Archie's mum continued: "As long as Archie is fighting for his life, I cannot betray him. Until Archie gives up, I won’t give up.
"I am living every parent's worst nightmare. There must be change in the NHS and in the court system before another family has to go through what we have."
The 12-year-old was found unconscious at his Essex home on 7 April with a ligature around his neck after seemingly taking part in an online blackout challenge.
While he has not regained consciousness and doctors have concluded he is 'brain stem dead', his family have been fighting to keep him on life support.
In the ruling today, Mr Justice Hayden said that keeping Archie on life support 'compromises his dignity' and 'deprives him of his autonomy'.
The judge continued: "This court has to ask itself whether continuation of ventilation in this case is in Archie's best interests.
"It is with the most profound regret, but on the most compelling of evidence, that I am driven to conclude that it is not.
"It is obvious from the detail of the treatment that I have set out above that it is intrusive, burdensome and intensive.
"It serves only to protract his death, whilst being unable to prolong his life."
Today's decision comes after Archie's family appealed the original ruling to switch off his life support after doctors said he was 'very likely... brain stem dead', as reported by the BBC.
Archie's family are currently being supported by the Christian Legal Centre in their bid to keep his life support switched on.
Andrea Williams, the chief executive, said the case highlights wider issues within the NHS and legal system.
Williams said: "This is another devastating blow for the family and for Archie. Sadly, however, this is what we have come to expect from the courts in end-of-life cases.
"What Archie's case has shown is that systematic reform is needed to protect the vulnerable and their families in end-of-life matters.
"Parents of vulnerable and critically ill children are being put through the mill at the most traumatic moments in their lives when what they need is compassion, support and respect from the NHS and the legal system."