Yahoo News Who is Alfie Evans? The seriously ill baby at centre of tragic legal battle over treatment
Severely ill baby Alfie Evans has been at the centre of a lengthy legal battle over his life support treatment for more than six months.
Earlier this week, the 23-month-old, from Liverpool, had his life-support withdrawn at the Alder Hey Children's Hospital in the city.
Alfie Evans’s parents were on Wednesday appealing a High Court decision preventing the seriously ill toddler from being taken abroad for treatment, lawyers confirmed.
The case is due to be heard at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday afternoon, a spokeswoman for the Christian Legal Centre said.
The boy has been at the centre of an ongoing legal battle over treatment administered to him.
On Tuesday a judge ruled the boy may be allowed home from Alder Hey Children's Hospital, but will not be allowed to go to Rome for further treatment.
What is Alfie's illness?
Alfie was born on May 9 2016, but suffered seizures and was taken to hospital in December that year.
Medics at Alder Hey say Alfie has a degenerative neurological condition destroying his brain, and it is in his best interests to withdraw life support.
Doctors and independent medical experts say there is no cure and no hope for Alfie.
But as Alfie has continued to breathe after his life support machine was switched off, he is now being hydrated and given oxygen to stop him becoming distressed, the High Court heard.
The legal dispute
Alfie has been at the centre of a life or death treatment battle, with his parents, Mr Evans and Kate James, trying to block doctors from withdrawing life support in a six-month dispute which has seen a series of court battles.
Timeline - legal battle
December 2017
Hospital applies to High Court to remove parental rights and withdraw ventilation
Alder Hey says continuing life-support would not be in Alfie's best interest, but parents disagree and seek permission to fly him to Italy
Mr Justice Hayden begins overseeing the case at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London
February 2018
Mr Justice Hayden rules in favour of hospital, who say there is 'no hope' for the youngster
March 2018
Court of Appeal upholds the decision of Mr Justice Hayden
Supreme Court justices refuse to give the couple permission to mount another appeal
European Court of Human Rights reject a bid by Alfie's parents to examine the case, saying they find no appearance of any human rights violation
April 2018
Mr Justice Hayden endorses end of life plan for Alfie
Judges of Court of Appeal uphold Mr Justice Hayden's decision and Supreme Court rules against Alfie's parents for the second time
European Court of Human Rights refuses application by Alfie's parents to take the boy to Rome for treatment
They have also asked the courts to allow them to take the child out of the hospital to transfer him abroad.
The couple have lost cases in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights.
A "last-ditch appeal" in which the Italian ambassador granted Alfie citizenship of Italy in order to take him to Rome for treatment failed on Monday.
And a late night court hearing heard by telephone by Mr Justice Hayden and lawyers for both sides confirmed his earlier decision permitting life support, helping Alfie to breathe, to be withdrawn.
During another three-hour hearing on Tuesday at the Family Division of the High Court sitting in Manchester it was suggested that Alfie’s alleged improved condition meant the court should reconsider its decision on allowing Alfie to travel abroad.
But Mr Justice Hayden ruled out the family's wishes to take the child to the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome, following interventions from the Pope and the Italian authorities.
Instead the judge said Alfie's continued life was a "shaft of light" and a "special opportunity" for his parents to spend time with him - not the time for more legal manoeuvres.
The judge said, in fact, the hospital had provided "world class" care for the child.
Who are Alfie's parents?
Mr Evans and Ms James, both are in their 20s, are from Liverpool.
The couple have consistently placed pressure on the justice system in a bid to keep their son alive.
Mr Evans has been particularly vocal throughout the legal dispute, speaking out over the court rulings.
He posts frequent updates to the Alfie’s Army Facebook page, which has 270,000 members.
Speaking to reporters outside hospital on Tuesday night he said: “The court of appeal have reached out to us and said they are going to set back three judges to hear the case.
"In reality, he could be in Italy right now. We all know the military air force are ready to take him and a team of doctors are there.
"We've also got a German air ambulance team, who attempted to take him in the first place, ready... the reality is these people are eager to get him out of the country and I'm not giving up because Alfie's breathing away, he's not suffering."
Alder Hey Children's Hospital
Alder Hey is a children’s hospital and NHS foundation trust in West Derby, Liverpool.
It is one of the largest children’s hospitals in the UK, caring for more than 270,000 children, young people and families.
The hospital is a leading paediatric research centre, specialising in children’s medicines, infection, inflammation and oncology.
An Alder Hey spokesman has said it is working closely with his parents, but the hospital's "top priority therefore remains in ensuring Alfie receives the care he deserves to ensure his comfort, dignity and privacy are maintained throughout".
A doctor treating Alfie, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has said that for Alfie to be allowed home would require a "sea change" in attitude from the child's family, and they feared that in the "worst case" they would try to take the boy abroad.
