Charlie Gard: Judge rules life support can be withdrawn
Doctors can withdraw life support from a sick baby with a rare genetic condition against his parents' wishes, a High Court judge has ruled. Specialists at Great Ormond Street Hospital said eight-month-old Charlie Gard has irreversible brain damage and should be moved to palliative care. His parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard had wanted to take their son to the US for a treatment trial. But the judge said it was in Charlie's best interest to remove life support. Mr Justice Francis said he made the decision with the "heaviest of hearts" but with "complete conviction" that it was the correct decision for the child. Charlie, who was born on 4 August, has a disorder called mitochondrial depletion syndrome which causes progressive muscle weakness. Sir Mark Hedley is a former high court judge of the family division, the same level as the judge who made this decision. Laura Hobey-Hamsey is Charlie's parent's solicitor and Niki Cunningham's son Harry was born in 2012. He was starved of oxygen and was left severely brain damaged. She had to make the decision to turn her son's life support machine off after just 26 hours.