Alfie Evans - the toddler at the centre of a High Court legal battle in the UK - has died.
The toddler passed away at 2.30 this morning.
He had a degenerative brain condition and his life support was withdrawn on Monday at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool.
In the last week Alfie's parents have had a series of bids to take him to Italy for treatment rejected by both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
In posts on social media, they say they're 'absolutely heartbroken.'
Alder Hey Childrens' Hospital released the following statement:
Alfie had been granted Italian citizenship in a bid to secure his transfer to Rome and last week Mr Evans met Pope Francis who expressed support for the family.
I am deeply moved by the death of little Alfie. Today I pray especially for his parents, as God the Father receives him in his tender embrace.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) April 28, 2018
Russell Viner, who's a professor in adolescent health, says these kinds of cases are becoming more common;
"As medicine and science advance we're going to see more of these cases.
We're going to get better at keeping children alive though sadly medicine isn't yet at a stage where it can cure them."
