Right to Die?

Below is a report which sets out in the Court where parents of a baby failed to keep their baby alive... Please read on... It has been taken from Yahoo News!

A nine-month-old boy has died after his parents lost a legal bid to overturn a ruling giving hospital staff the power to stop medical treatment keeping him alive.

The child known as OT had a rare metabolic disorder and had suffered brain damage and major respiratory failure.

Two Court of Appeal judges refused them permission to challenge a ruling by Mrs Justice Parker which gave the hospital treating him, the right to stop medical treatment keeping him alive.

His parents, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said only one other child with their son's condition had been identified by modern medicine.

They said: "During his short time with us OT became the focus of our lives.

"We were present during his last moments, together with O's extended family.

"He died peacefully. We will miss him greatly and wish to say that we are proud to have known our beautiful son for his brief life."

Prior to the death, the family's solicitor Christopher Cuddihee, of Kaim Todner, said Mr and Mrs T were "deeply distressed" by the court's decision to allow doctors to take their "only and beloved son" off the ventilator that is keeping him alive.

They said relationships with doctors and staff at the hospital became "very difficult" at the end of last year when medical staff wanted to withdraw treatment while they felt they "had to fight to ensure that he is given every possible chance".

The parents, who could not face hearing the decision, went on: "We are and always will be convinced that despite his desperate problems his life is worthwhile and is worth preserving as long as it is possible to do so without causing him undue pain."

"We have been and remain enormously grateful to the National Health Service for the huge effort and massive cost that has been involved in OT's battle for life," they said.

Referring to the parents during the hearing at the Court of Appeal, Lord Justice Ward said the judges were "not unmindful of the horror of their predicament".