Skip to content

Midrar Ali: Life support for brain-damaged baby can end, court rules

Midrar Ali is said to have suffered brain stem death and was placed on a ventilator following complications at birth.

Midrar Ali
Image: Midrar's parents wanted doctors to keep treating their baby
Why you can trust Sky News

Doctors can stop providing life-support treatment to brain-damaged baby Midrar Ali, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Three appeal judges have upheld last month's High Court ruling that found Midrar was brain stem dead and it is in his best interests to halt the treatment so he could have a "kind and dignified death".

The four-month-old was starved of oxygen during complications at birth and put on a ventilator.

Bosses at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester later said Midrar should be taken off the life-support treatment in a decision supported by Mrs Justice Lieven at the Family Division of the High Court in January.

Midrar Ali&#39;s parents, Karwan Ali (left) and Shokhan Namiq
Image: Midrar Ali's parents, Karwan Ali (left) and Shokhan Namiq want to keep their son on ventilation

Mrs Lieven said at the time she believed the medical evidence she analysed was clear and consistent, and that she had "no doubt" Midrar was brain dead.

But Midrar's parents want the ventilation to continue and maintain their son is still growing and that doctors could not be certain his condition would not improve.

They later appealed the decision, of which their arguments were heard by Sir Andrew McFarlane, Lord Justice Patten and Lady Justice King at the Court of Appeal in London earlier this week.

More from UK

But on Friday, the three appeal judges rejected their case.

In response to the latest ruling, Midrar's father Karwan Ali - a biomedical scientist - said the result was "just terrible".

He said: "He's still growing. They can't be 100% sure he is dead.

"His eyes move. I've seen them move."