Tragic Outcome for Baby Indi Gregory After Parents’ Legal Struggle for Continued Treatment
0Baby Indi Gregory, a critically ill infant at the center of a legal battle, has sadly passed away after specialists withdrew life-support treatment. The heart-wrenching development occurred in a hospice on Monday morning, as confirmed by the campaign organization Christian Concern. Indi’s parents, Dean Gregory, and Claire Staniforth, had fought through the High Court and Court of Appeal in London to continue her treatment but faced repeated legal setbacks.
The couple, both in their 30s from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, lost their legal battles, and specialists ultimately withdrew Indi’s life support, as stated by a Christian Concern spokesperson on Sunday.
In a statement released early on Monday morning, Mr. Gregory expressed his deep sorrow, saying, “Indi’s life ended at 1.45 am. Claire and I are angry, heartbroken, and ashamed.” He further lamented that the healthcare system and the courts not only deprived Indi of the chance for a longer life but also took away her dignity to pass away in the family home where she belonged.
Mr. Gregory continued, “They did succeed in taking Indi’s body and dignity, but they can never take her soul. They tried to get rid of Indi without anybody knowing, but we made sure she would be remembered forever. I knew she was special from the day she was born. Claire held her for her final breaths.”
Indi had been moved from the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, where she was receiving treatment, to the hospice where she eventually passed away.
High Court judge Mr. Justice Peel had previously ruled that limiting treatment would be lawful and in Indi’s best interests. Despite the parents’ efforts, Court of Appeal judges and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg upheld the treatment decision. The couple also unsuccessfully sought to transfer Indi to a hospital in Rome.
Judges had been informed that Indi, born on February 24, suffered from mitochondrial disease, a genetic condition that drains energy. Specialists deemed her condition terminal, asserting that the ongoing treatment caused pain and was ultimately futile.