British Mourners Bid Toddler, Evans Farewell

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Liverpool on Monday to mourn 23-month-old, Alfie Evans, who died last month following a highly-charged battle between the hospital and his parents.

The well-wishers broke into applause as the funeral cortege passed Everton football club’s Goodison Park stadium, on its way to a private burial nearby.

Members of the public placed flowers on the hearses, which carried floral tributes reading “Warrior”, “Our Hero” and “Son”.

Evans died on April 28 after doctors at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital withdrew life support, following a long legal battle and a campaign by the parents that drew support from Pope Francis.

The parents had fought to take their son, who had a degenerative condition that caused irreversible brain damage, to a clinic in Rome but lost in court.

Evans was born on May 9, 2016, and was first taken to hospital in December of that year after suffering seizures.

His condition worsened and, a year later, in December 2017, the hospital recommended withdrawing life support.

The parents disagreed and the two sides went to court, sparking a battle that made international headlines.

The case was the latest in a series of high-profile clashes between parents of seriously ill children and the British authorities.

British law states that parents “cannot demand a particular treatment to be continued where the burdens of the treatment clearly outweigh the benefits for the child”.

AFP