Less than a year after the UK courts ordered the euthanasia of ‘Little’ Charlie Gard against his parents’ wishes, British doctors are again arguing that a “profoundly disabled” 11-month old infant should suffer the same fate; claiming further medical treatment would be “futile.”
According to the Guardian, Isaiah Haastrup suffered serious brain damage and other life-threatening injuries at child birth, requiring round-the-clock life support in order to live. Lawyers for the British doctors told the courts that prolonging the infant’s life would bring about substantial and unnecessary “suffering.”
“We always take account of the views of parents,” one medical professional told the court. “The needs of the child are paramount […] Isaiah needs life support in order to stay alive.”
Opposing those lawyers are the boy’s parents, who wish to seek further treatment in the hospital with the hopes of one day bringing Isaiah home.
“You have not seen Isaiah being cuddled and stroked by mummy and daddy,” said attorneys for the infant’s father.
The case is expected to continue for weeks, with legal experts expecting the court to side with the doctors and remove Isaiah from life support within the coming months.