London (NBCNC) – The British parents of critically ill baby Charlie Gard dropped their legal bid this Monday to send him to the United States for experimental treatment.
New medical tests showed it could no longer help.
A lawyer for Charlie’s parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, said the couple was withdrawing their appeal at a London high court hearing.
The lawyer said recent medical tests on Charlie showed the baby has irreversible muscular damage.
Chris Gard spoke to reporters outside the court, saying he and Connie will now spend their “last precious moments” with their son who would not make his first birthday in just under two weeks.
“This is one of the hardest things we will ever have to say and we’re about to Do the hardest thing we’ll ever have to do which is to let our beautiful little Charlie go,” Chris Gard said. “we are truly devastated to say that following the most recent mri scan of Charlie’s muscles, as requested in the recent MDT meeting by Doctor Hirano, as Charlie’s devoted and loving parents, we have decided that it is no longer in Charlie’s best interests to pursue treatment and we will let our son go and be with the angels.”
The 11-month-old has a rare genetic condition, and his parents wanted him to receive an experimental treatment.
Doctors at great Ormond Street Hospital had argued that the treatment wouldn’t help and could cause the child pain.
They wanted to switch off his life support and allow him to die peacefully.
the case won international attention after Charlie’s parents received support from Pope Francis, President Trump, and some members of Congress.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.