Alfie Evans dies: Heartbroken parents reveal terminally-ill toddler loses his fight for life

'Our baby boy grew his wings tonight'.
Jason Collie1 September 2018

The parents of Alfie Evans have said they are "heartbroken" after their son died on Saturday morning.

The 23-month-old, who was being treated at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool died at 2.30am, Kate James and Thomas Evans said on Facebook.

The youngster was at the centre of a legal battle over his treatment that touched hearts around the world.

The post on said: "Our baby boy grew his wings tonight at 2.30 am. We are heartbroken. Thank you everyone for all your support."

Mr Evans wrote on social media: "My gladiator lay down his shield and gained his wings at 02:30... absolutely heartbroken... I LOVE YOU MY GUY".

Alfie was suffering from a degenerative brain condition and doctors said his life-support system should be turned off, sparking a long legal fight by his family.

Mr Evans, 21 and Ms James, 20, fought to take their son to a foreign hospital for treatment for a degenerative medical condition, but lost a final court appeal on Wednesday.

Doctors had removed Alfie's life-support following a High Court judge's ruling on Monday, however he continued to live.

His parents said that the youngster had defied doctors' expectations and they took their case to the Court of Appeal, but the application to take him abroad was rejected.

Mr Evans said their lives had been "turned upside down" by the "intense focus" his case had received.

Alfie: The toddler passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning
Alfies Army Official

"Our little family along with Alder Hey has become the centre of attention for many people around the world and it has meant we have not been able to live our lives as we would like," he said.

The attention and emotion garnered by Alfie's plight and his parents' determined public campaign to get the treatment they believed he needed led to high tensions between supporters and staff at Alder Hey.

Tom Evans and Kate James, the parents of Alfie Evans
PA

Bosses said they were "shocked" at the "barrage" of abuse that came from some quarters after they found themselves "at the centre of a social media storm".

It led Merseyside Police to issue a warning over comments being made about the hospital online.

Protesters gathered outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital after the European Court of Human Rights rejected an appeal against the decision to end life-support for Alfie
PA

After accepting that their options had been exhausted, Alfie's parents sought to build bridges with medical staff and pledged to work alongside doctors to give him "the dignity and comfort" he needed.

He said: "We... thank Alder Hey staff at every level for their dignity and professionalism during what must be an incredibly difficult time for them too.

"Together we recognise the strains (that) recent events have put upon us all and we now wish for privacy for everyone concerned."

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