Archie Battersbee died Saturday after he was taken off of life support by doctors at the Royal London Hospital.
The 12-year-old had been unresponsive and in a coma since April 7.
His parents, Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee fought a legal battle for months to extend the life-sustaining treatment for their son but the U.K. Supreme Court in London rejected an appeal last week.
BREAKING: Archie Battersbee’s family say he has died after his life support was withdrawn.https://t.co/zyKQH0zBGg
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“In sadness, Archie passed at 12:15 pm,” Dance said. “I would just like to say I am the proudest mum in the world. He was such a beautiful little boy.
“He fought right until the very end, and I am so proud to be his mum.”
CBN News previously reported that Archie was found unconscious on April 7 with a cord around his neck in what was believed to be an online blackout challenge.
Archie’s parents said video of him gripping his mother’s fingers was proof that he was still alive and that his brain was functioning. Doctors felt that the boy’s situation was hopeless and that he would not recover because his brain stem was dead.
The family even asked to move Archie to hospice, however, physicians said it was not in the boy’s best interest because his condition was so unstable and moving him would advance his chances of death.
Andrea Williams, the chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which supported the family’s case, offered her condolences to the family.
“Our thoughts, prayers, and support are with Archie’s family at this tragic moment. It has been a privilege to stand alongside them. The events of the last few weeks raise many significant issues including questions of how death is defined, how those decisions are made and the place of the family,” said Williams.
She added, “No one wants to see other families experience what they have been through. We need to see urgent review and reform of the system.”
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