Foreign Affairs

UK Police Block Alfie Evans’ Parents From Taking Him Home [VIDEO]

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U.K. Police blocked Alfie Evans’ parents from taking him out of the hospital after Alfie’s father obtained an attorney’s letter advising him to do so.

Tom Evans and Kate James, Alfie Evans’ parents, filed a last-minute appeal earlier on Thursday for their son to be allowed to receive treatment at hospitals in Germany or Italy. Their efforts are against the U.K. High Court’s final ruling Alfie would be taken off life support on April 13, according to Life Site News. Tom, however, obtained a letter from attorney Pavel Stroilov of the Christian Legal Centre, which has been representing Tom and Kate in court, advising Tom he could legally remove Alfie from the hospital, according to Life Site News. Tom attempted to do so, but Alder Hey Hospital called the police, who ultimately blocked Tom and Kate from retrieving their son.

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The U.K. High Court, U.K. Appeals Court, and European Court of Human Rights all ruled against Tom and Kate’s desires over the last several months to have Alfie treated for an unknown neurological degenerative condition the hospital said reduced Alfie to a vegetative state. Alfie, however, is still responsive — videos prove his cognitive functions are actually progressing, his parents argue. Nevertheless, the courts and the hospital maintain treating Alfie is futile and thus will not allow the parents to seek treatment for their son anywhere else.

Tom and Kate’s family friend posted a video Thursday of police and hospital staff blocking them from removing Alfie from medical grounds, despite Stroilov’s letter.

“I have a documentation saying that I have the right to take my son out of this hospital,” Tom said in a video posted to Twitter.

Tom and Kate had the right to remove Alfie from the hospital according to U.K. law, the letter explained. An individual has the right to self discharge; but since Alfie is a minor, his parents may make that decision — especially since they voluntarily brought him to the hospital originally. The staff at Alder Hey Hospital would remove Alfie from life support on July 13, the U.K. High Court ruled. The ruling did not technically prevent Tom and Kate from choosing to take Alfie out of the hospital, Stroilov argued.

“You have asked me to clarify whether it would be legal for you to remove your son, Alfie, from Alder Hey Hospital without the Hospital’s consent. In Alfie’s situation, that would only be practical with the support of a team of medical professionals with the necessary life support equipment.

Subject to that, I can confirm that such a removal would be lawful under English law. Alfie is only in hospital because you, his parents, voluntarily sought its healthcare services. Alfie retains the right to self-discharge from hospital. He is not imprisoned there. Because of his minority, it is for you, as his parents, to make a decision to self-discharge or to stay at hospital.

The effect of the declaratory orders made by Mr. Justice Hayden in the High Court is to make it lawful for Alder Hey to withdraw his artificial ventilation treatment and to protect Alder Hay and its staff from legal liability for that step. It is not the intention or effect of the order to circumvent Alfie’s personal liberty or your parental rights. It remains lawful for an alternative team of medical professionals, with your parental consent, to provide such medical treatment to Alfie as they professionally deem to be appropriate,” the letter stated, according to Life Site News.

The police, however, would not budge. Alfie remains in the hospital, set to die on court order on July 13.

“Alder Hey is stopping us. Alder Hey is calling the police. To murder my son. Alder Hey has phoned the police to stop me from taking my son out of the hospital. This is my son. Look at my healthy, healthy young boy who’s undiagnosed and is certainly not dying. There’s the ventilator. We have all the equipment,” Tom added in his video.