What happened to Archie Battersbee?
ARCHIE BATTERSBEE has died in hospital after his life support machine was switched off, following a long-running legal battle.
Archie's mum Hollie confirmed that the 12-year-old had passed away at 12.15pm, on August 6, 2022.
What happened to Archie Battersbee?
Archie Battersbee, was left in a coma after suffering a "freak accident" at home in Southend, Essex, on April 7, 2022.
His mum Hollie Dance said she found the 12-year-old with a ligature over his head, and thinks he might have been taking part in an online challenge.
After over a week at his bedside, Hollie said: "It’s a freak accident which resulted in a brain injury and I’m just reliving it constantly.
“To be honest the doctors are saying negative stuff, he’s not responding, but we do hold hope.
READ MORE ON ARCHIE BATTERSBEE
“I feel he needs a bit of time."
A GoFundMe page was set up by Archie's sister-in-law Ella Carter to support the family with medical costs which has .
How was Archie Battersbee after the accident?
Archie had been on life-support at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, with his family by his side.
He didn't regain consciousness after the accident.
On August 3, 2022, his parents were given a deadline to file an application with the High Court to move Archie from the hospital to a hospice for his final hours.
Doctors warned there was a "significant risk" in moving him.
On June 6, 2022, a specialist told a court scans showed parts of Archie's brain were dead and decaying and said the "chance of recovery is very low".
Most read in The Sun
At an earlier hearing, one specialist told the judge he thought scans showed the youngster had suffered "irretrievable" damage to his brain.
Two other specialists said they thought tests showed he was "brain-stem dead".
His parents Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee said his heart was still beating and therefore wanted treatment to continue.
Mum Hollie said in June 18, 2022 that Archie had squeezed her hand and she would continue to fight for his life.
Ms Justice Arbuthnot ruled on June 13, 2022, that doctors could legally stop treating Archie - and his family appealed this decision.
But High Court judge Mr Justice Hayden ruled in favour of the hospital trust - and the decision was not overturned.
The family then submitted an application to the European Court of Human Rights - but the application was rejected.
On August 3, 2022, Archie's family asked the High Court if they could move him to a hospice.
On Friday, August 5, 2022, the High Court denied the request.
Ruling that Archie should remain in hospital while treatment was being withdrawn, Ms Justice Theis said: “Archie's best interests must remain at the core of any conclusions reached by this court.
''The circumstances outlined by Dr F of the physical arrangements at the hospital and the arrangements that can be made will ensure that Archie's best interest will remain the focus of the final arrangements to enable him peacefully and privately to die in the embrace of the family he loved.”
Lawyers for the family requested an appeal, however the judge refused permission to appeal against her decision.
Mum Hollie told that Archie's machines in hospital were "constantly beeping" up until a month ago.
She said that they had "calmed", meaning they were showing "progress".
She told the paper: “They are still the backdrop to my world though.
"Whatever happens I think I will hear those machines for the rest of my life.”
Why was Archie Battersbee's life-support switched off?
Archie had been at the centre of a High Court dispute after suffering brain damage in the accident.
Parents Hollie and Paul said they believed the schoolboy could eventually recover from his injuries.
But doctors said the boy was "brain-stem dead" and wouldn't ever get better.
Ms Justice Arbuthnot ruled on June 13, 2022, that he had no realistic chance of recovering.
The court heard Archie was "likely" to be dead based on an MRI scan - the first time a decision has been reached using those methods, Hollie claimed.
Archie was granted a second chance after Court of Appeal judges ruled that a new judge should reconsider the case.
Edward Devereux, QC, who led Archie's parents' legal team, said the decision had been made on the balance of probabilities.
He argued that the decision over switching off Archie's life support should have been made on the basis of "beyond a reasonable doubt".
High Court judge Mr Justice Hayden ruled in favour of the hospital trust after doctors said that continuing to treat Archie would only “delay the inevitable”.
Paul and Hollie hoped treatment would continue after a UN committee requested a delay but a UK court threw out their last-minute appeal.
Campaign organisation the Christian Legal Centre has supported Archie’s family.
Its chief executive Andrea Williams said at the time that the family would fight on.
Williams said: "Legislation must be passed reforming the system. Archie's case stands in the gap.
"The precedent his case sets can go an incredibly long way to fixing a system which has no room for error."
On August 5, 2022, Hollie and Paul lost a last-minute legal bid to have Archie moved to a hospice to "spend his last moments" in peace, away from nurses and doctors.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
Medics were expected to switch off treatment for the youngster at 10am on August 6, 2022.
Hollie confirmed her "beautiful little boy" had died at 12.15pm on August 6, 2022, and said she was "the proudest mum in the world".