Today the British High Court held a new hearing in the case of British baby boy, Charlie Gard. The new hearing comes at the request of Great Ormond Street Hospital, after doctors received a letter citing “new evidence relating to potential treatment for [Charlie’s] condition.”
Charlie Gard: intense media interest at High Court for hearing due at 2pm pic.twitter.com/GOqUki1Wtv
— Fergus Walsh (@BBCFergusWalsh) July 10, 2017
High Court Judge Mr. Justice Francis presided over Monday’s hearing, which was attended by GOSH doctors and Charlie’s parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates. For the past several months, Yates and Gard have been fighting a grueling legal battle against GOSH representatives who want to take their son off life support.
And while the new hearing offered new hope initially, Yates and Gard soon realized that despite the latest evidence, not much has changed.
On Monday, GOSH lawyers told Judge Francis that the new evidence only relates to patients with muscular damage, not brain damage. The assertion backs the hospital’s earlier claims that Charlie’s brain damage is extensive and irreversible, and that given this, the child is ineligible for a potentially life-saving experimental treatment abroad.
At that point, Charlie’s parents had had enough.
“When are you going to start telling the truth?” Mr. Gard yelled at a lawyer representing Great Ormond Street, according to Mirror.
“They’re lying to you!” added Yates, speaking to the judge directly.
Charlie Gard: Connie Yates calls out in court to judge 'they are lying to you' in reference to GOSH
— Fergus Walsh (@BBCFergusWalsh) July 10, 2017
Judge Francis said Monday that he would be open to reversing previous court decision if Charlie’s parents could present “new and powerful” evidence for why additional treatment could benefit Charlie.
“There is not a person alive who would not want to save Charlie,” Francis said Monday. “If there is new evidence, I will hear it.”
For now, the seemingly never-ending legal back-and-forth will continue. A new hearing has been set for Thursday, July 13.
Judge: I will hear this case on Thursday of this week and may or may not be able to resolve it then.
— Fergus Walsh (@BBCFergusWalsh) July 10, 2017
Please keep the Gard family in your prayers, and be sure to check back with Faithwire for more updates.