Disabled baby boy died before judge made life-support ruling

A severely disabled 16-month-old boy died before a British High Court judge had time to publish a ruling on whether he should be allowed to die.

Doctors had asked Mr Justice Peter Jackson to allow them to withdraw life-support treatment so the toddler could “die in comfort”.

The little’s boy’s family wanted ventilation to continue.

The judge analysed evidence at a hearing in the Family Division of the British High Court – and concluded that ventilation should be withdrawn.

But the youngster died before his ruling was published.

Detail has emerged in the ruling handed down at a hearing in London more than six weeks after the child’s death.

Mr Justice Peter Jackson said he had decided that it would have been in the little boy’s best interests for ventilation to be withdrawn.

He had concluded that “continued long-term ventilation” would have been futile and progressively caused “more and more suffering”.

The judge said the youngster suffered from “profound neurological problems” and had spent the entirety of his short life in hospital.