Charlie Gard's Parents Fighting One Last Battle

To bring him home to die
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 25, 2017 10:15 AM CDT
Parents Have Final Wish for Charlie Gard
An undated photo of Charlie Gard, taken at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.   (Family of Charlie Gard via AP)

Charlie Gard's death seems inevitable, but what is yet to be decided is how it will occur, with the infant's parents and London's Great Ormond Street Hospital still at odds. A lawyer says Connie Yates and Chris Gard, who on Monday ended their legal battle to move their 11-month-old son to the US for experimental treatment of mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, want to take Charlie home where he can die in "tranquility" after "a short period of time," report the Telegraph and Reuters. In court on Tuesday, however, the lawyer cited "difficulties the hospital has placed in the way of the parents' wish," per the Guardian, which notes Charlie had been expected to be taken off life support at the hospital within a few days.

A rep countered that the hospital would be willing to grant the parents' request if "practical, possible, and safe, and in Charlie's interests so that he comes to no harm." However, she says Charlie's parents have proposed no plan and the hospital is unable to provide a medical team to care for Charlie for the amount of time requested at home; the exact time requested isn't known, but Charlie's parents previously said the boy wasn't expected to live to see his first birthday on Aug. 4. The hospital rep also says Charlie's parents have refused mediation offers "for reasons Great Ormond Street will never know." After hearing from both sides in High Court on Tuesday, the presiding judge suggested a settlement would be appropriate. (More Charlie Gard stories.)

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