Baby born prematurely after mum had cardiac arrest after taking cocaine has life support withdrawn
A baby who was born prematurely after his mother suffered a cardiac arrest after choking and taking cocaine has had his life support withdrawn after a High Court ruling.
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The child, known as Baby J, was born on August 9 following an emergency caesarean section after his mother's cardiac arrest, which caused her brain damage.
The NHS foundation trust responsible for the child's care, which has not been identified, asked the High Court to rule that it was no longer in his best interests to continue receiving the treatment keeping him alive and that further care would be "unethical".
In a ruling on Friday, Mr Justice McKendrick said Baby J's mother suffered a cardiac arrest after "a choking incident and cocaine use", which caused her to spend 40 minutes without a heartbeat.
He said this caused Baby J to suffer "severe" lack of oxygen to the brain, with further treatment being no longer in his best interests.
He concluded his judgment by saying that the treatment was withdrawn on Friday "in a caring and loving way".
He said: "The evidence before me is that there is a high risk he will be blind and deaf, and possibly without any sensory awareness.
"He will be physically profoundly disabled and would need extensive and painful operations.
"He will most likely have an unsafe swallow and would receive nutrition and hydration by artificial means.
"Given the unchallenged evidence and the prognosis that follows, mechanical ventilation traps Baby J in a life without stimulation or pleasure whilst permitting him to languish in pain and discomfort without the means by which loved ones may comfort him.
"This is a life devoid of quality. I agree with the trust the treatment is futile and burdensome.
"I understand why the doctors say the point has been reached that continued mechanical ventilation is unethical."
In his ruling, Mr Justice McKendrick said Baby J's mother had "reduced awareness with little meaningful interaction and does not currently have capacity for any kind of medical decision-making or ability to partake in court proceedings".
He also said that evidence indicated that she "wanted a baby and did not intend to cause Baby J intentional injury or harm".
The judge continued that doctors had told a hearing on Thursday that they deemed Baby J to have suffered a "catastrophic and irreversible injury", and that further treatment was "futile".
The court also heard Baby J's maternal grandmother had said his mother "would not want him to have this life" and that continuing treatment was "not fair".
Barristers for the trust told the court there was "no prospect" of recovery and that Baby J was "possibly unaware of even the comfort of a cuddle".
The judge said that the case was a "tragedy", concluding that continuing treatment would be unlawful.