Baby denied treatment in UK legal case dies

A terminally ill baby whose treatment was withheld by order of the British courts died today, a family member said.

A terminally ill baby whose treatment was withheld by order of the British courts died today, a family member said.

Nine-month-old Luke Winston-Jones from North Wales was given only days to live after he was diagnosed shortly after birth with the genetic disorder Edwards syndrome.

Last month, medical staff were granted permission to withhold life-saving treatment by "aggressive" mechanical ventilation if his condition deteriorated.

The ruling was made by Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, president of the High Court's Family Division.

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Luke, who also suffered from heart and breathing problems, had never left hospital during his short life.

His mother, Ms Ruth Winston-Jones (35), had fought against an application by Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust and North West Wales NHS that Luke should not receive treatment. She said leaving it to doctors "would constitute an abrogation of her maternal duty".

Ms Winston-Jones described her baby as a "real person with personality" who responded to her.