The Pope has reportedly offered to hand terminally ill Charlie Gard a Vatican passport, in the hope that it will allow the child to be flown to Italy for treatment.
It's the latest development in an ongoing case that has received worldwide attention and dominated headlines.
A Vatican source told the Sun: "It would be unprecedented if citizenship was granted to Charlie, but it is being investigated.
"Legal parameters are preventing him from being moved and treated overseas. If that can be overcome, then so be it.
"It is well known the Pope has taken a personal interest in Charlie. He has commented on the case publicly twice."
Credit: Charlie's Fight
Advert
Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, added: "We are doing whatever we can."
Charlie has been the focus of a huge legal battle between the infant's parents, who want to fly him to America for an experimental treatment, and Great Ormond Street Hospital, who say that the terminally ill boy should be allowed to die with dignity.
It is a high-profile case that has made global headlines and even had the likes of Donald Trump weighing in and offering his help to the young family.
A US hospital has offered to ship an experimental drug to the UK in an attempt to help treat Charlie. The New York hospital also offered to admit the child if certain 'legal hurdles', currently preventing him from leaving the country, can be cleared.
The US hospital said that it would treat the boy with an experimental drug pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
It said it has "agreed to admit and evaluate Charlie, provided that arrangements are made to safely transfer him to our facility, legal hurdles are cleared, and we receive emergency approval from the FDA for an experimental treatment as appropriate".
It added: "Alternatively, if approved by the FDA, we will arrange shipment of the experimental drug to Great Ormond Street Hospital and advise their medical staff on administering it if they are willing to do so."
Credit: PA
Advert
Charlie's parents Chris and Connie Gard, who have been spending his last days by his side after judges ruled that his life-support should be turned off, have claimed to have been 'left in the dark' by doctors.
"Doctors have kept us in the dark," Connie told the Sun. "We can only hope that various meetings they've been having to which we have not been invited are positive and that they will let us take Charlie to the US for treatment."
Charlie is suffering from a very rare genetic condition. He has brain damage and no one can be completely sure whether he can feel pain or not.
The case has touched people around the world and just last night a demonstration was staged outside Prime Minister Theresa May's residence.
US president Donald Trump has also voiced his support, tweeting: tweeting: "If we can help little Charlie Gard, as per our friends in the UK and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so."
Advert
Sources: the Sun, the Mirror
Featured Image Credit: PA / Charlie's Fight