Judges in the United Kingdom have doubled-down on their mandate to remove a terminally ill infant from life support rather than allow parents to seek treatment at the Vatican.
Justice Robert Peel ruled Wednesday that 8-month-old Indi Gregory was to be removed from her life-supporting ventilator on Thursday against the parents’ wishes. An appeal in the case has been denied and the child is mandated to be removed from life support imminently.
“Claire and I are again disgusted by another one-sided decision from the judges and the Trust. The whole world is watching and is shocked at how we have been treated,” said father Dean Gregory, according to Christian Concern, their legal counsel for the case.
This photo shows six-month-old Indi Gregory. Italy’s government on Monday granted Italian citizenship to an eight-month-old terminally ill British girl after a court in Britain upheld rulings authorizing the withdrawal of life-supporting invasive treatment. (Family Handout/PA via AP)
The courts sided with Peel’s mandate on Friday, denying Dean and Claire Gregory’s right to appeal.
Senior UK judges Lord Justice Peter Jackson, Lady Justice Eleanor King and Lord Justice Andrew Moylan of the Court of Appeals refused the appeal, ruling that the Italian government and the Vatican were “wholly misconceived” attempting to transfer the ill infant into their custody.
The Italian government, in an attempt to stop the British healthcare system from pulling Indi’s life support, has granted citizenship to the child, so she may receive continued treatment there.
UK JUDGE RULES TO WITHDRAW LIFE SUPPORT FROM TERMINALLY ILL BABY DESPITE TREATMENT EFFORTS
Pope Francis visits the ward where children who arrived from Ukraine, are hospitalized at Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome. (Vatican Media/Pool/GG/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Indi Gregory was born in February of this year and suffers from a degenerative mitochondrial disease that will very likely take her life.
Leadership at the Vatican — in collaboration with the Italian government — have prepared resources for Indi to continue treatment at Bambino Gesù, a Catholic pediatric hospital in Rome.
“Claire and I have always wanted what is in Indi’s best interests. She has human rights and we wanted her to have the best treatment possible<” the baby’s father said of the decision. “If the UK did not want to fund it, why can she not go to Italy and receive the treatment and care which the amazing Italian Prime Minister and government has offered.”
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This undated family handout photo shows six-month-old Indi Gregory. Italy’s government on Monday granted Italian citizenship to an eight-month-old terminally ill British girl after a court in Britain upheld rulings authorizing the withdrawal of life-supporting invasive treatment. ((Family Handout/PA via AP))
He added,”This feels like the latest kick in the teeth, and we will not give up fighting for our daughter’s chance to live until the end.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who previously approved citizenship for Indi and has aggressively fought for her transfer, is reportedly in contact with the UK’s Lord Chancellor urging international cooperation.
“They say there isn’t much hope for little Indi, but until the very end, I’ll do what I can to defend her life, and to defend the right of her mamma and papa to do all that they can for her,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on social media this week.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks during a visit to the Green Park neighbourhood in Caivano, Italy. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)
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Italian consul Matteo Corradini has ordered the UK to cede jurisdiction to the child’s designated Italian guardian due to “imminent danger to the life of Indi,” according to Christian Concern.
