Parents of sick UK toddler Alfie Evans lose fight against decision to remove life support

The father of seriously ill British toddler Alfie Evans claims his son's life support has been withdrawn.

Alfie, 23 months, is in a semi-vegetative state, suffering a degenerative neurological condition that has never been definitively diagnosed by medical specialists.

Parents Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, had hoped to prolong the toddler's treatment at a specialist clinic in Italy, but a London High Court judge ruled in February that to do so would harm Alfie's "future dignity". 

The GuardianThe Guardian Evans claimed doctors at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool were refusing to provide the toddler with oxygen on Monday night.

"He is starting to need oxygen and the hospital are refusing to give him that," the young dad said in a Facebook Live video, according to The Sun.

"He's not suffering ... he is able to sustain his life. He needs to be oxygenated and they won't oxygenate him."

Earlier on Monday evening, a "last-ditch appeal" from Evans and James to continue Alfie's care was turned down.

The hearing came after Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs granted Alfie Italian citizenship so that he could be transferred to a Rome hospital.

Evans and James had asked their son's UK hospital to delay withdrawing his life support, to give them time to mount their now-thwarted High Court challenge.

Last week, Evans met with Pope Francis at the Vatican and appealed to him to "save" their son.

The parents have faced several legal setbacks since Mr Justice Hayden gave his verdict - which Evans labelled a "death penalty" - at London's Royal Courts of Justice in February.

Their application for permission to appeal Hayden's verdict was recently dismissed, with the decision to remove Alfie from life support upheld.

In his ruling, Hayden said he had accepted medical evidence suggesting that ongoing treatment for the toddler would be futile.

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Doctors at Alder Hey Hospital had also argued it would be “unkind and inhumane” to keep him on life support. 

The court heard the little boy’s illness, which caused the degradation of his brain tissue, had deprived him of the capacity to hear, see, smell or respond to touch.

Hayden concluded that “good quality palliative care” would be the best option for Alfie.

“I am satisfied that continued ventilatory support is no longer in Alfie’s best interest. This decision I appreciate will be devastating news to Alfie’s parents and family.”

Speaking outside the court following the verdict, Evans - surrounded by 30 supporters from “Alfie’s Army” who had gathered for the hearing - said his son had been “sentenced to the death penalty”. 

“I’m not giving up, my son isn’t giving up. No one, I repeat, no one in this country is taking my boy away from me,” he told reporters.