High Court to hear case about 12-year-old boy’s life support

Please pray for an important hearing happening today.

The Christian Legal Centre is helping the family of Archie Battersbee, a twelve-year-old in a critical condition, whose case is being heard at the High Court’s Family Division today.

Archie’s mother, Hollie Dance, and father, Paul Battersbee, from Southend-On-Sea, want to give Archie every chance of life, after he was found unconscious with a ligature around his neck in what is believed to be a tragic accident a month ago.

However, specialists treating Archie at the Royal London Hospital believe it is ‘highly likely’ that he is already brain dead. The hospital has asked a judge from the Family Division of the High Court to assess the situation and rule rule that it is in Archie’s ‘best interests’ to die by removing life support.

There have been several high profile cases where courts have decided that treatment and/or nutrition can be withdrawn from a patient, supposedly in their best interests. This can force the patient to die, even when another hospital is willing to take over care – all because a judge rules it’s in their best interest.

Archie’s family is not convinced that he is brain dead. They have experienced behaviour that contradicts what the hospital first told them. They’ve also seen stories of remarkable recoveries from similar conditions in other patients.

They are simply asking the hospital to give them more time and the medical information that shows Archie cannot recover. They simply want the hospital to continue treating Archie in the mean time.

Please pray for Archie, his family, the legal team, hospital and judge – that we’d see a good resolution to this very difficult situation.

Please pray:

• for Archie to experience a remarkable recovery from his injury
• for the Christian Legal Centre team as they support the case
• for the lawyers Bruno Quintavalle and Pavel Stroilov as they represent the family in Court
• for Archie’s family – that they would know God’s comfort and that he would give them strength
• for the doctors who look after Archie, to be granted the strength and wisdom not to give up, to excel themselves, and to achieve a miracle
• for Archie’s Army, which is growing across the world to pray for Archie’s recovery and to support the family with a message of hope and love
• for the judge to be wise and fair, not ruling that it is in Archie’s ‘best interest’ to die
• for the nation to better protect people in these situations – to better recognise the value of life.

Find out more about Archie and his case in our press release.