Charlotte Wyatt
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Charlotte Paige Wyatt (born October 21, 2003 at St. Mary's Hospital, Portsmouth, United Kingdom) is the prematurely-born daughter of Darren and Debbie Wyatt. She was the subject of a "do not resuscitate" order and was at the centre of a prolonged legal battle to have this order lifted.
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[edit] Medical history
Charlotte was born in the 26th week of pregnancy by Caesarean section, weighing only 458 grams and five inches long. She was cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit, and developed septicaemia and renal damage. She developed several episodes of cardio-respiratory failure, which were treated with ventilation and cardiac medications. She was resuscitated three times and ventilated.
[edit] Now aged 3
Charlotte turned 3 years old on 21 October 2006, and she remains severely disabled. She remains at the hospital where she has lived for the past three years, awaiting a foster home or approval from the social services for her father to undertake her care. Her doctor has stated "On a day-to-day basis her care could now be given outside hospital. With potential for quite good life quality, I would regard a more natural, stable and stimulating environment as the highest priority for Charlotte." [1]
[edit] Do not resuscitate decision
After the third episode of resuscitation, the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust determined that, due to Charlotte's continuing pain and their belief that she would not live past infancy, the doctors would not resuscitate and ventilate her a fourth time. This led to a prolonged court battle, as her parents believed she should be given every chance at life. Mr Wyatt is a devout Christian and has argued on several occasions that God should decide on the fate of his child, not a resuscitate decision [2].
[edit] Legal battles
Her parents opposed the hospital's decision, their lawyer argued before Justice Hedley in the Family Division of the High Court that, since the parents wish to give her every opportunity to live, he should order the hospital to resuscitate her. On October 7, 2004, Hedley J ruled that the doctors should withhold treatment and allow Charlotte to die if she required ventilation. In his opinion, Hedley J said,
I know that may mean that she may die earlier than otherwise she might have done, but in my judgment the moment of her death will only be slightly advanced. I have asked myself: what can now be done to benefit Charlotte? She should be given as much comfort as possible, as much time as possible to spend in the presence and in contact with her parents and she should be allowed to meet her end, in the words of Mr Wyatt, with the TLC of those who love her the most [3].
An appeal was made in March of 2005 to Justice Hedley to change his decision. He ruled again on April 21, 2005 that ventilation should not be undertaken [4].
Slight improvement continued and on 21 October her second birthday, and after a highly emotional hearing, Hedley J removed the DNR order he had placed over her a year before.
In February 2006, a viral infection led to a deterioration in Charlotte's condition. The hospital went back to court and once more obtained an order permitting them not to intubate or ventilate her, in the clear expectation that she would die. However, once more she recovered and her overall condition was continuing to improve in August 2006.
[edit] Her parents
Darren, 34, and Debbie Wyatt, 24 underwent special training to care for Charlotte. However, the rigours of the legal battles caused severe strains. In addition, social workers from Portsmouth community services began to question their ability to look after their other three children, given their limitations. The Wyatts were unemployed and living in a council supplied 2 bedroom flat when they split up in February 2006.
Debbie Wyatt took the three children when she left Darren. She is reported to be now in a relationship with a convicted sex offender. [5]
Darren Wyatt was admitted to hospital after he took an overdose of drugs, following the break up of his marriage.
Although Darren has said he would like to take over Charlotte's care himself if necessary, the social services has determined that neither parent is in a position either socially or economically to undertake her required 24 hour care and that she must therefore go into foster care.
[edit] Release from hospital
On 20 December 2006 it was announced that she was to leave hospital to be cared for by experienced foster parents. [6]
