Baby Charlie Gard to be buried with his favourite cuddly toy

Critically ill baby Charlie Gard, whose life support was turned off last week, will be buried with his favourite cuddly toy monkeys.

A file image of baby Charlie Gard provided by his family, taken at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

A file image of baby Charlie Gard provided by his family, taken at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. Source: AAP

Charlie Gard will be buried with his cuddly toy monkeys, his family says.

The 11-month-old died on Friday just a week shy of his first birthday after suffering from a rare genetic condition.

The youngster was at the centre of a legal battle between his parents - who wanted to take their son to the US for experimental treatment - and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) that attracted worldwide attention.

Speaking about Charlie's funeral, family spokeswoman Alison Smith-Squire told the Sun: "They haven't finalised any plans yet but they have decided Charlie will be buried with his beloved toy monkeys."
Parents of critically ill baby Charlie Gard, Chris Gard (L) Connie Yates (R) after delivering a statement outside the High Court
Parents of baby Charlie Gard, Chris Gard (L) Connie Yates (R) after delivering a statement outside the High Court. Source: EPA
Charlie, who was born on August 4 last year, had a form of mitochondrial disease, a condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage.

Described as "perfectly healthy" when he was born, Charlie was admitted to hospital at eight weeks and his condition progressively deteriorated.

His parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates said they wanted to take their son across the Atlantic for nucleoside bypass therapy, but specialists at GOSH in London, where Charlie was being cared for, said the treatment was experimental and would not help.
File photo dated 09/07/2017 of the parents of Charlie Gard, Connie Yates and Chris Gard.
File photo dated 09/07/2017 of the parents of Charlie Gard, Connie Yates and Chris Gard. Source: AAP
He was taken to a hospice where life support was withdrawn and he died last week.

Ms Yates is quoted in the Mail as saying: "We should be planning Charlie's first birthday but instead we're planning his funeral."

Charlie's plight saw hundreds of supporters - called Charlie's Army - lending their voices and money for him to be given treatment.

The protracted legal battle saw the couple take their case to the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court - all of which ruled life support treatment should end and Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity.

Judges at the European Court of Human Rights refused to intervene in the case - and the couple said they felt "let down" following the series of court hearings.




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Published 31 July 2017 2:00pm
Updated 31 July 2017 3:20pm
Source: AAP


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