Archie Battersbee died of brain damage after strangulation, an inquest heard today.
In April, his mother discovered him unconscious at his home in Southend, Essex, after he participated in what his family believes was a social media ‘blackout challenge.’
He died last Saturday after his mother, Hollie Dance, struggled for weeks to have his life support turned off.
Doctors stated his brain damage was so serious that there was little hope of recovery, but his family battled to keep him alive in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and European Court of Human Rights.
All of her requests were denied, as was Ms Dance’s request last week for him to be moved to a hospice, after Barts Health NHS Trust in east London stated there was a chance he may die during the transition without his family beside him.
Coroner’s officer Paul Donaghy told today at the inquest that Archie was discovered unconscious in his house on April 7.
‘Paramedics arrived and reported a Glasgow Coma Scale of just 3 and verified a cardiac arrest,’ he added. CPR was resumed, and Archie was taken to Southend Hospital.
Soft toys, visits from friends and relatives, and his mother, who sat by his bedside for weeks at a time, helped Archie when he was in the hospital.
Soft toys, visits from friends and relatives, and his mother, who sat by his bedside for weeks at a time, helped Archie when he was in the hospital.
‘Archie was then transported to the Royal London Hospital and Great Ormand Street Hospital, where both doctors agreed that surgery would not benefit Archie. During his stay, he was examined by the Paediatric Neurology team.
Multiple specialists from the Royal London, Queen’s, and Great Ormond Street Hospitals all concurred that Archie had suffered significant permanent brain damage. The High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court were all engaged in petitions to determine Archie’s care and best interests.
‘On August 6, 2022, with the authority of a final court ruling, life-sustaining treatment was discontinued in a side room on the critical care unit, and Archie died surrounded by his family and friends.’ A healthcare expert verified the death.’
According to Mr. Donaghy, the tentative cause of death was catastrophic hypoxic-ischemic brain damage owing to strangling.
Lincoln Brookes, Senior Coroner for Essex, has scheduled a full inquiry into Archie’s death for February 7 of next year.
He informed the court that an inquest will be used to determine who died, where, when, and how they died, with ‘no one on trial’ during an inquest.
‘I also want to take this opportunity to emphasize that Archie’s passing is a personal sorrow for so many individuals, particularly his family,’ he continued. On behalf of myself and my officers, I would like to express our heartfelt sympathies to Archie’s family.’
Archie’s story is just one of several recent tragedies in which parents have battled physicians’ decisions to discontinue life support for their children after it was determined that it was no longer in their best interests.
Most agree that such disputes are incredibly stressful for everyone involved, and there are demands to reform present laws regarding state and parental rights in order to prevent such situations in the future.
After a contentious dispute between the hospital and his parents, 23-month-old Alfie Evans died in April 2018 after doctors in Liverpool, northwest England, removed his life support.
His parents, who had Pope Francis’ backing, sought to transport him to a clinic in Rome, but they lost a last court appeal two days before he died.
Charlie Gard, who was born in August 2016 with a rare type of mitochondrial illness that causes gradual muscular weakening, died one week after doctors removed life support.
His parents had pushed for him to be transported to the United States for experimental therapy for five months.
His story attracted widespread support, notably from then-US President Donald Trump and Pope Francis, and 350,000 people signed a petition urging that he be allowed to visit the US.
Such situations are usually hotly fought, and the participation of religious organizations may make choices for family and friends much more difficult.
Archie’s physicians contended in court that he was almost probably ‘brain dead,’ and that additional treatment would be detrimental to his health. They said Archie died at the end of May after suffering ‘irreversible termination of brain stem function.’
His family, however, was not convinced: Hollie remembered Archie grasping her hand, opening his eyes, and even weeping. Following this, doctors conducted tests but discovered no change in Archie’s health.
‘I know I’ve done a very excellent job as Archie’s mother,’ Archie’s mother previously said. Based on my own upbringing, I was resolved to be the greatest mother I could be, and I believe I have done so to the best of my abilities. One of the reasons I’m here is for that.’