Terri Schiavo’s parents asked supporters to return home to spend Easter Sunday with their families as the couple’s severely brain-damaged daughter went a ninth day without food or water.

As Terri Schiavo drew closer to death Saturday, a Florida state judge rejected another attempt by the brain-damaged woman’s parents to reconnect her feeding tube, leaving the couple with little hope they could keep her alive.

A state judge in Clearwater, Florida, today rejected another attempt by Terri Schiavo’s parents to have her feeding tube reconnected, rejecting what the couple’s lawyer described as their last chance to keep their severely brain-damaged daughter alive.

A US government appeals court panel refused to order the reinsertion of brain-damaged Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, hours after her father said she was weakening and down “to her last hours”.

A judge today refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, yet another setback for the parents of the brain-damaged woman in their battle against her husband to keep her alive.

A federal judge has denied an emergency request from Terri Schiavo’s parents to reconnect the brain-damaged woman’s feeding tube.

As Terri Schiavo’s health waned, her parents pressed on today to restore the brain-damaged woman’s feeding tube after the nation’s highest court and judges in Florida defeated their latest legal appeals.

Florida’s Supreme Court refused today to overturn a judge’s order blocking the state from taking temporary custody of Terri Schiavo, in another setback in her parents’ battle to keep their brain-damaged daughter alive.

A seven-year legal battle was drawing to a tragic end for the parents of Terri Schiavo tonight, as last ditch efforts to have her feeding tube re-inserted were blocked yet again by the courts.

The US Supreme Court refused to order Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube reinserted today, rejecting a desperate appeal by her parents to keep their severely brain-damaged daughter alive.

Terri Schiavo’s parents made a desperate appeal to the US Supreme Court early today, asking justices to order resumption of nourishment for their severely brain-damaged daughter.

For the second time in less than a day, a federal appeals court today rejected a bid by Terri Schiavo’s parents to have her feeding tube re-inserted.

Their options dwindling after losing two consecutive court appeals, Terri Schiavo’s parents vowed today to take their fight to the US Supreme Court as their brain-damaged daughter was in her fifth full day without a feeding tube.

A US federal appeals court in Atlanta today refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, denying an emergency request by the severely brain-damaged woman’s parents.

A lawyer for the husband of Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged woman at the centre of a life-or-death legal battle, says he expects a court ruling today.

The parents of Terri Schiavo asked a judge to reinsert their brain-damaged daughter’s feeding tube today, following an extraordinary political fight that consumed both chambers of Congress and prompted the US president to rush back to the White House.

While Terri Schiavo lay dying in her hospice bed early today, the US Congress gave a boost to the hopes of the brain-damaged woman’s parents that her feeding tube would be reinserted.