Life support can be withdrawn from a premature baby who became brain-damaged after his mother's cocaine use caused a cardiac arrest, a High Court judge has ruled.
The child, known as Baby J, was born on August 9 following an emergency caesarean section after his mother's cardiac arrest, which caused her brain damage.
The NHS foundation trust responsible for the child's care, which has not been identified, asked the High Court to rule that it was no longer in his best interests to continue receiving the treatment keeping him alive and that further care would be 'unethical'.
In a ruling on Friday, Mr Justice McKendrick said Baby J's mother suffered a cardiac arrest after 'a choking incident and cocaine use', which caused her to spend 40 minutes without a heartbeat.
He said this caused Baby J to suffer 'severe' lack of oxygen to the brain, with further treatment being 'burdensome' and he would only go on to live 'a life devoid of quality'.
