Indi Gregory: Critically ill baby dies after life-support turned off

11 months ago 30

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A critically ill baby at the centre of a legal battle has died after her life-support was turned off.

Staff at the Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham said they could do no more for Indi Gregory, who had mitochondrial disease.

Her dad, Dean Gregory, said the eight-month-old baby died at 01:45 GMT on Monday after she was taken to a hospice.

He said her mum, Claire Staniforth, "held her for her final breaths".

Indi had been transferred to a hospice following a ruling made by Court of Appeal judges on Friday that her life support could not be removed at her home.

Image source, Family Handout

Image caption,

Indi was being cared for at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre

Christian Concern, which has been supporting the family, said they understand that Indi was transferred to a hospice on Saturday by ambulance with a security escort.

They said she was relaxed and slept during the journey.

Her life-support was removed at the hospice and she was provided with invasive ventilation.

Mr Gregory said he knew Indi "was special from the day she was born".

Legal battle

Over the past several months, Indi's parents, from Ilkeston, have launched a number of legal challenges in a bid to prolong their daughter's life.

Indi had mitochondrial disease which prevents cells in the body producing energy and the NHS says the condition is incurable.

Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, an organisation linked to Christian Concern, the family has tried to convince the High Court, Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights judges that she should continue to receive care.

Specialists said she was dying and the treatment she was receiving caused pain and was futile, but her parents disagreed.

The couple also failed in a bid to transfer Indi to a hospital in Rome.

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