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Netizens are up in arms about a UK High Court ruling regarding Baby Indi Gregory. On Wednesday, November 8, in the face of protests from her parents, Justice Robert Peel decided to end the 8-month-old child's life support on November 9 following an "urgent online hearing" the previous day. Indi Gregory is suffering from Mitochondrial disease, an incurable condition, according to the NHS.
The court rejected Rome's Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital's offer to provide treatment for the child in Italy. The judge ruled that the child should be extubated in the hospital or at a hospice. Netizens were outraged and extremely saddened by the court's decision and claimed that judges should not be allowed to make such rulings when it came to the life of an infant.
Italian hospital's offer to treat Baby Indi Gregory rejected by judge
8-month-old Baby Indi Gregory is critically ill with Mitochondrial disease and was on life support. On Tuesday, November 7, Justice Robert Peele held an "urgent online hearing," to determine what needed to be done for Baby Indi Gregory. Despite pleas from her parents, the judge ruled on Wednesday, that the child be removed from life support as early as 2 p.m. on Thursday.
The medical officials at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham have stated that nothing more could be done for the child. The family requested their baby to return to their Ilkeston, Derbyshire home to continue palliative care. However, the judge specified that extubation should be done in a hospice or hospital surrounded by medical professionals.
According to BBC, health professionals informed the judge that the child was "agitated", "distressed", and "in pain." They also informed that extubation had to take place in a hospital or hospice by trained professionals, in order to provide proper after-care and deal with severe complications that could arise as a result of her lengthy treatment, to which the judge agreed. He said:
"I consider it essential that (Indi) should continue to have clinical treatment of the highest quality, carried out in a safe and sustainable setting."
Parents of Baby Indi Gregory have been constantly fighting to overturn the judge's decision that gave permission for the hospital to remove the child from life support. After failing to persuade the European Court of Human Rights, and the London Court of Appeal, Indi Gregory's parents had hope when Italy offered to help.
Rome's Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital had offered to treat Baby Indi Gregory, but their application was denied by the judges. Justice Peele said in a written judgment last week:
"There is nothing to suggest that Indi Gregory's prognosis would be beneficially altered by the Italian hospital's treatment."
Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni intervened and vowed to protect the child's life, making her an Italian citizen on Monday. BBC reported that Baby Indi Gregory's father, Dean Gregory was "disappointed" by the decision. Christian Concern quoted Dean Gregory as saying:
"For the hospital and the U.K. Courts to simply ignore the offer from the Italian government is disgraceful."
He added:
"As a father I have never asked or begged for anything in my life, but I am now begging the British government to please help prevent our daughter’s life from being taken away."
"Humanity has failed": Netizens saddened by judge's decision
Netizens were infuriated by the judge's decision to remove Baby Indi Gregory's life support and waive off the Italian government's offer. People criticized universal healthcare and condemned the state of the UK, and humanity in general. A lot of netizens were left immensely saddened by the decision.
Here are a few reactions from Jacopo Coghe's tweet of the news:
Christian Concern, a campaign group backing the parents of Indi Gregory has stated that they planned to appeal the decision. AP reported that the general manager of the Italian hospital was looking for a meeting with Queen’s Medical Centre.
