• Archie Battersbee died after his life support was turned off.
• The 12-year-old had been the subject of a protracted legal battle. Suffered “devastating” brain damage in an incident at his home in Southend, Essex.
• His mother Hollie Dance said she was proud to be his mother.

Archie Battersbee, who suffered “devastating” brain damage, died after his life support was turned off.

Hollie Dance, his mother, said she was “the proudest mum in the world” as she stood outside the hospital.

She described Archie as “such a beautiful little boy who fought until the very end, and I am so proud to be his mother.”

Ms Dance stated that he died at 12:15 p.m.

“He was taken off medication at 10am, his stats remained stable until two hours later when they removed the ventilation,” said Ella Rose Carter, the fiance of Archie’s eldest brother Tom, speaking on behalf of the family.

“There is absolutely nothing dignified about watching a family member or a child suffocate.

“We hope no family has to go through what we have been through. It’s barbaric.”

The 12-year-old had been the subject of a protracted legal battle after being seriously injured in an incident at his home in Southend, Essex, in April.

Since then, he had been in a coma and had not regained consciousness. A combination of medical interventions, including ventilation and drug treatments, kept him alive.

One judge described the family’s love for Archie as the “golden thread” running through the case.

Hollie Dance, Archie’s mother, told Sky News earlier this week: “I don’t think there’s been a day that hasn’t been awful, really.” It’s been extremely difficult.

“Despite the hard, strong face and appearance, obviously, in front of the cameras, up until now, I’ve been pretty broken.”

Archie’s family had fought to keep his life support treatment going in the hope that he would recover..

“I’ve done everything that I promised my little boy I’d do, and I’ve done it,” she added.

“Archie really is the heart of our family, he is so loved.”

“He leaves an impact wherever he goes. He’s a lovable little boy. Very bubbly – he’s just happy all of the time.”

Ms Dance described the young boy’s relationship with his brother Tom and his sister Lauren as a “solid little family.”

“Tom started talking to Archie when he was in my belly… their bond grew immediately,” she said.

“Archie and Lauren, they’re close, too. A solid little family. So yeah, they’re both broken.

“My kids had to stand in court and listen to the words that their brother’s dead, I don’t know how many times. It’s just heartbreaking.”

Ms Dance said that since the child has been in hospital in London since April, she has relied on friends and family to bring her clothes from their home in Essex.

On one occasion, she explained how she needed a top for a court appearance and attempted to go shopping with a friend but began having flashbacks.

“I was probably out about half an hour and I started having flashbacks of how I found Archie… I just can’t… It started coming in and I realised I’m going to need some serious therapy,” she said.

“The thought of even going home and just walking, opening my front door, and then seeing where I was giving Archie CPR on the floor. I don’t know how I’m going to cope with that.

“Walking up the stairs, and seeing obviously where I found him, I don’t know how I’m going to cope. I’d be lying if I said I did.

“That side of me is not going to be very strong.

“We’ll be back at some point fighting again but, yeah, I will go downhill for a little while.”

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