Charlie Gard has died, his parents say

Charlie Gard has died, his parents say



The parents of Charlie Gard have said their 11-month-old, critically ill son has died after being transferred to a hospice.



Connie Yates and Chris Gard on Monday abandoned their five-month legal battle to have him moved from Great Ormond Street hospital (Gosh) and taken to the US for experimental treatment, after acknowledging that his condition had deteriorated.



They then fought to have him taken home, saying it was their “last wish” for Charlie to die at home.





However, the couple were unable to find a 24/7 intensive care team to keep him alive and he was taken to an unspecified children’s hospice on Thursday, where he died the following day.



In a statement, Yates said: “Our beautiful little boy has gone, we are so proud of you Charlie.”



She and Gard had wanted to spend up to a week at the hospice with Charlie before he was taken off a ventilator, but the high court ruled that this would require a specialist team to stay with him round the clock in the hospice.



After his parents were unable to source such a team, the judge, Mr Justice Francis, said an alternative plan should be put in place involving a much shorter time spent at the hospice on life support.



Hundreds of people, who called themselves Charlie’s Army, supported the campaign for him to receive treatment in the US, raising £1.35m.



A spokeswoman for Gosh said on Thursday: “The risk of an unplanned and chaotic end to Charlie’s life is an unthinkable outcome for all concerned and would rob his parents of precious last moments with him.



“As the judge has now ruled, we will arrange for Charlie to be transferred to a specialist children’s hospice, whose remarkable and compassionate staff will support his family at this impossible time.”



Charlie, who was born on August 4 last year, has a form of mitochondrial disease, a condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage.



Described as “perfectly healthy” when he was born, Charlie was admitted to hospital at eight weeks and his condition has progressively deteriorated.



The couple said they wanted to take their son across the Atlantic for nucleoside bypass therapy, but specialists at Gosh said the treatment was experimental and would not help.