Judge: Baby should be allowed to die

LONDON, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- A baby with a neuromuscular condition that prevents him from moving or breathing can be taken off a ventilator, a British judge said Tuesday.

Justice Andrew McFarlane made the decision in the family division of High Court after the baby's father had a change of heart, The Daily Mail reported. The father made a statement, describing his decision as "agonizingly difficult" and saying he had come to the conclusion after hearing all the evidence during the seven-day hearing that a peaceful death would be in his son's best interests.

The boy, identified only as R.B., was born in October 2008. He is believed to have congenital myasthenic syndrome with a normally functioning brain trapped inside a non-responsive body.

The judge praised both the parents, who are estranged from each other, for the care they have given their son.

"They have put their own adult lives on hold," McFarlane said. "The stress has been immense, it has cost them their relationship, but still they work together and do what they can to support their son."