UK courts ruled that it was in the ‘best interests’ of Indi Gregory to have her life-support removed, despite the offer of further treatment in Italy.
In October 2023, Mr Justice Robert Peel ruled that it was in the best interests of seven-month-old baby Indi Gregory to have her life-support removed.
Indi was diagnosed with a rare mitochondrial disease, but her parents maintained that despite her disability, she was happy and responsive to their touch. Indi was in paediatric intensive care at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
Following the ruling, Dean Gregory, Indi’s father, said: ‘‘We are devastated by the judge’s ruling and will be appealing. The doctors painted a terribly bleak and negative picture of Indi’s condition during court proceedings.
‘‘During her short life Indi has proved everybody wrong and deserves more time and care from the NHS rather than seeking to end her life as soon as possible.
‘‘It is criminal that parents who are trying to do everything for their child in such difficult circumstances are taken to court and have to contend with the weight of the whole system coming against them.
‘‘Indi can definitely experience happiness. She cries like a normal baby. We know she is disabled, but you don’t just let disabled people die. We just want to give her a chance.
‘‘I and we as a family are prepared to do whatever it takes to fight for the life of our beautiful daughter, Indi.’’
The NHS and UK Courts denied Indi an offer of specialist treatment in Italy and transferred her from the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham to a hospice with a security escort and police presence.
Tragically, Indi passed away on 13 November 2023 after her life support was removed.
Following her death, her father, Dean Gregory, said: “Claire and I are angry and heartbroken. The NHS and the Courts not only took away [Indi’s] chance to live a longer life, but they also took away Indi’s dignity to pass away in the family home where she belonged.
“They did succeed in taking Indi’s body and dignity, but they can never take her soul. They tried to get rid of Indi without anybody knowing, but we made sure she would be remembered forever.”