London, United Kingdom

In a tragic turn of events, Indi Gregory, an eight-month-old British girl at the centre of a legal battle over her treatment, passed away within 24 hours of specialists withdrawing life support. 

Advertisment

This happened, despite her being granted an Italian citizenship to facilitate her treatment abroad.

A desperate bid for treatment abroad 

Indi was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, a genetic condition that made it hard for her to breathe and also impaired cells in her body from producing energy. 

Advertisment

The condition has no cure, due to which a UK court ruled that medics can lawfully limit Indi's treatment.

Also read | Feeling of 'rich' getting elusive, survey finds 92% millionaires consider themselves 'middle class'

Her parents, Claire Staniforth and Dean Gregory, however, had sought to transfer her to the Vatican-owned Bambino Gesu hospital in Italy.

Advertisment

The hope was to explore treatment options for mitochondrial disease. However, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and multiple courts consistently ruled against the transfer, arguing it wasn't in the child's best interests.

Courts reject parental pleas

Even the parents' plea to have Indi's life support removed at home instead of a hospital or hospice was rejected by the Court of Appeal on Friday. 

In a statement, as reported by AFP, her parents expressed anger and heartbreak and said: "The NHS and the courts not only took away her chance to live a longer life, but they also took away Indi's dignity to pass away in the family home where she belonged." 

Also read | Elon Musk claims 'world record' for SpaceX delivering over 1,000 tonnes to orbit in 2023

"They did succeed in taking Indi's body and dignity, but they can never take her soul," said Gregory.

International support and intervention

Last week, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni granted Indi Italian citizenship, hoping to facilitate her treatment in Italy. Pope Francis too expressed his support, and said that he "prays for them and for her".

However, British courts deemed the intervention from Rome as "wholly misconceived," and blocked her transfer to Italy.

Expressing her grief at Indi's passing, Meloni posted on X, "We did everything we could, everything possible. Unfortunately, it was not enough. Bon voyage, little Indi."

×

(With inputs from agencies)