Archie was on life support for four months after being found with a ligature around his neck at home in April. His mother, Hollie Dance, fought a long battle against the Royal London Hospital where he was treated, arguing that his life support should not be switched off. But all efforts failed and the drug was withdrawn at 10am on Saturday. Archie died just a few hours later. His mum, Hollie Dance, fought a long battle against the Royal London Hospital where he was treated. Credit: PA Images Ms Dance and the rest of the family issued a statement through the Christian Concern group, calling for change. “Yesterday we lost our beautiful boy Archie. He has fought against all odds since April and we are so proud of him,” she said. “We are grateful for the tremendous support we have received from so many different people. We are grateful to our legal team and others who stood by us as we faced these difficult challenges. “We want something good to come out of this tragedy and the horrible experience we had with the system. “No parent or family should have to go through this again. We have been forced to fight a relentless legal battle by the Hospital Trust while dealing with an unimaginable tragedy. “We were backed into a corner by the system, stripped of all our rights and had to fight for Archie’s true ‘best interests’ and right to live with everything stacked against us. “This has now happened all too often to parents who do not want their seriously ill children to be taken off life support. The pressure of the process was incredible. “There needs to be an inquiry and investigation through the proper channels into what happened to Archie and we will demand change.” Barts Health NHS Trust said the treatment was withdrawn in line with court rulings in its best interests. Credit: Family photo Archie had been kept alive by a combination of medical interventions, including ventilation and drug treatments. In June, experts said it was highly likely that Archie was “brain dead” and that tests carried out showed no discernible brain activity, revealing “significant areas of tissue necrosis”. In a statement yesterday, Barts Health NHS Trust said the treatment was withdrawn in line with court rulings in its best interests. A spokesman said: “The trust would like to thank the medical, nursing and support staff in the pediatric intensive care unit who looked after Archie following his horrific accident. “They provided high quality care with exceptional compassion over several months in often difficult and distressing circumstances. “This tragic case has not only affected his family and carers, but has touched the hearts of many across the country.” Want a quick and special update on the biggest news? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out what you need to know…
