Charlie Gard Case Intensifies as Parents Storm out of Court Hearing

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Jul 25, 2017

Charlie Gard Case Intensifies as Parents Storm out of Court Hearing

The parents of Charlie Gard reportedly stormed out of a court hearing today after the judge alleged that they said they did not want their son’s life prolonged if there was no chance for him to improve.

This happened after the judge ruled that Chris Gard and Connie Yates, the parents of 11-month-old Charlie, had two days to prove he should not be taken off life support. Earlier rulings had concluded that Charlie was suffering and his quality of life was not worth prolonging.

Charlie suffers from a rare mitochondrial disease which has resulted in brain damage and seizures. An experimental treatment is available in the U.S. and Charlie’s parents are fighting to be allowed to take him there for treatment.

In the hearing today, which marked the end of the two-day period, Judge Nicholas Francis referred to comments Chris Gard allegedly made that his son should be taken off of life support if there was no chance for improvement. Gard and Yates vehemently denied the truth of the judge’s comments.

Gard then angrily stormed out of the courtroom, according to LifeNews.com, followed soon after by Yates.

Gard and Yates’ attorney, Grant Armstrong, told the court that the experimental treatment provided a 10 percent chance of improvement for Charlie’s condition. Armstrong asserted that this was enough to merit trying it.

“There is likely to be muscular improvement, there is likely to be an effect whereby the treatment crosses the blood-brain barrier and it’s likely the treatment will have an effect on the mitochondria,” said Armstrong. He added that, due to the treatment, Charlie would have the opportunity for “meaningful brain recovery.”

 

Photo: Parents of Charlie Gard, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, walk through the grounds of the Royal Courts of Justice on April 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. Their crowdfunding campaign raising money for treatment in the US for their eight month old son, Charlie Gard, reached its target of £1.2million this past weekend. Charlie suffers from a form of mitochondrial disease and is the subject of a dispute over life-support between the Great Ormond Street specialists who are treating him and his parents.

Photo courtesy: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Publication date: July 13, 2017



Charlie Gard Case Intensifies as Parents Storm out of Court Hearing