Charlie Gard's parents today made the decision to let him 'slip away'.
Chris Gard and Connie Yates arrived at the High Court in tears as they ended their six-month campaign to save his life.
They have battled for their 11-month-old son to be flown to the USA for pioneering drugs to treat his rare strain of mitochondrial disease. They had raised £1.3 million for the treatment.
Credit: Charlie's Fight
Advert
But they have now decided to let him die as they believe Great Ormond Street's refusal to let him travel to a New York hospital has cost him his chance.
Grant Armstrong, for the parents, told High Court judge Mr Justice Francis: "Poor Charlie. It is too late. The damage has been done. Sadly time has run out.
"Sadly the window of opportunity no longer exists. The parents have taken an extremely hard decision."
Credit: PA
Advert
Ahead of proceedings, 20 supporters gathered with megaphones, blue balloons and banners to show their support for the pair, who are both from Bedfont, west London.
The 'Charlie's Fight' campaign has seen support from across the globe, with interventions from Pope Francis and President Trump, who each demanded he was treated in New York.
The couple's decision follows a bitter legal fight from the parents, whose appeal was rejected by the European Court of Human Rights.
Credit: Charlie's Fight
Advert
Baby Charlie suffers from an extremely rare genetic condition called encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MDDS), having begun to display symptoms not long after he was born.
He has severe brain damage and can't move his arms and legs, while his heart, liver and kidneys are also affected.
Source: Daily Mail