Judge Sentences 11 Month Old Child To Death

A judge in the UK has ruled that doctors can withdraw life support for a severely disabled 11-month-old boy without the consent of his parents. Eleven month old Isaiah Haastrup, was born by emergency cesarean section last year after his mother had a rupture in her uterus. At birth the child had no audible heartbeat, respiration, activity or muscle tone, as reported by an independent observer. The baby has lived all of his 11 months in a hospital but his parents would like to continue Isaiah’s treatments in the hopes that he will one day recover enough that they will be able to bring him home. But according to Andrew Whitelaw, an independent expert, “This is as near death as it is possible to get and still have heart action started by resuscitation. In former times, he would have been declared a stillbirth.” In reading the courts opinion, the judge said:

“It is trite but true to observe that the court cannot imagine the emotional pain that the conclusion of the court will cause to the parents. It is my hope that, in due course, the parents will be able to derive some small measure of comfort from the knowledge that they have done all that they can for their much loved and cherished son to seek an alternative outcome for Isaiah.” 

Isaiah parents believe the hospital was negligent during delivery and did not trust them when they advised her to take the child off life support. His mother, Takesha Thomas, argued that Isaiah responds to her face and touch despite what the doctor’s say. To this writer taking the child off life support is a death sentence. This is not the first time the UK has legislated parents rights. Last year, Charlie Gard was also the subject of parents rights versus courts opinion. Charlie had a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive brain damage and muscle failure. MDDS has no treatment and usually causes death in infancy. But an experimental treatment in the US gave hope to his parents. They raised over $1.5 million dollars to bring him here for the chance he could be saved. But it was to no avail. London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), a National Health Service (NHS) children’s hospital, fought with the parents and in the end won a judgement in court. The hospital formed the view that further treatment was futile and might prolong suffering. The British courts supported GOSH’s position and by consent, Charlie was transferred to a hospice, mechanical ventilation was withdrawn, and he died the next day at the age of 11 months and 24 days.