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AFTER A PROTRACTED, and unsuccessful, legal battle from his parents to bring their son to the US to receive treatment for an extremely rare disease, 11-month-old Charlie Gard died yesterday.
Today, his story dominates the UK newspapers and numerous well-known international figures have paid tribute to the boy who suffered from a rare form of mitochondrial disease. The condition causes progressive muscle weakness, including in key organs such as the heart.
A court had ordered that the 11-month-old should be moved from Great Ormond Street Hospital in London to a hospice where his life support would be withdrawn.
Supporters around the world donated £1.35 million (€1.5 million) via an online fundraising site to support the family and their efforts to keep Charlie alive.
Pope Francis had publicly expressed support to bring Charlie to America for treatment in the past, and tweeted a tribute to the boy on Twitter last night.
He said: “I entrust little Charlie to the Father and pray for his parents and all those who loved him.”
UK Prime Minister Theresa May also released a statement. She said that she was “deeply saddened by the death of Charlie Gard” and that her “thoughts and prayers [are] with Charlie’s parents Chris and Connie at this difficult time”.
US President Donald Trump had offered Charlie’s family support in bringing him to the US, and his vice president, Mike Pence, tweeted his own tribute.
He said: “Saddened to hear of the passing of Charlie Gard. Karen [his wife] and I offer our prayers and condolences to his loving parents during this difficult time.”
Turning to the newspapers, the Daily Mail, running with the headline “Rest in Peace, Charlie”, had always supported the case of Gard’s parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard, and said the case had “raised so many questions about our age”.
The Sun carried a front-page photograph of the baby, with the headline “RIP our hero”, adding that Gard was the “tot whose plight touched the world”.
The Daily Mirror also carried a front-page photograph of the baby smiling at father Chris Gard under the headline “Our beautiful little boy has gone”, echoing the words of mother Connie Yates.
The Guardian expressed sympathy for Yates and partner Chris, saying the “anguished parents found themselves confronting a harsh and unfamiliar world of paediatric intensive care, the law courts and the media”.
The Daily Telegraph said “little Charlie” had “brought out the best in us”.
“Poor Charlie has died,” they wrote. “Whatever one thinks of the debate surrounding his life, that’s all that matters now. A life is gone. Those left behind have to be given the space to grieve. Politics is suspended.”
With reporting from AFP - © AFP, 2017
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They would deny it wouldnt they. Dont believe the British government for a second. Dont forget WMD
The government or their security services.
Would Britain reject 700 years of torture inflicted on the Irish?
I think that putting the dead on trial on behalf of the dead is not realistic.
There is enough evidence of war crimes from the 1950′s on to have thousands of British soldiers, Generals and Ministers jailed for life.
Using terror and random killings to so terrorize a population that they give up.
North Ireland, now Iraqi. The British never learned a lesson from the past.
Thosj
Yes they did, they perfected it and kept it out of the eyes of the media in Iraq.
The British army have form in this regard.
What is unusual is that it now has a court that may be able to try it.
When you consider the sheer savagery and terror and murder campaigns that were inflicted on civilian populations in the Aden, Malaysia, Kenya, Cyprus and a another dozen countries.
The western warlords will be punished, what goes up must come down.
Britain finds Britain not guilty, :0
Cool pic of William Hague in The Hague
War criminals become peace envoys who go onto speak and make millions
Its about time the ICC turned its attention to Western war criminals .
as for ” “Should we be approached by the ICC, we will take the opportunity to explain the very extensive work under way to deal with historic allegations of abuse.”
Who do they think they are fooling —-they took 40 years to admit the Bloody Sunday murders – and then offered a paltry £50,000 -. Its time Blair and others were put on trial .
What predictable rubbish comments!
Haha not guilty
Sounds familiar….Same old, same old story
I notice the british solicitor defending the Iraqi’s didn’t have any friends or family killed in the 7/7 bombings. Or and subsequent terrorist attacks.
Ye just a typical sleaze ball solicitor looking to make a quick buck.
Why should that make a difference in the professional world?
The 7/7 bombers where four British citizens, three of Pakistani origin and one of Jamaican origin while these prisoners, who where often arrested on flimsy evidence, are Iraqis, so I don’t see the connection.
And after all, if the UK didn’t do anything illegal, they should have nothing to fear, isn’t that the line they use to justify all the spying on their own people and their allies?
Exactly where did you notice that? I condemn all terrorist acts but there’s absolutely no excuse for torture.
A little bit of bullying and taking the oiss in most cases I’d imagine with the exception of a few cases. Small fry in the grand scheme of things
have your say