THE family of tragic Alfie Evans have revealed health chiefs spent over £145,000 in legal fees to challenge – sparking outrage.
Social media users fumed that it was “outrageous” and that health bosses were “corrupt”.
Alfie’s aunt Sarah Evans took to Facebook to share the response from an information request to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool.
She slammed the trust for spending “over £145,000 to kill my nephew”.
The request, lodged with the Alder Hey Children’s Trust, asked: “Can you please clarify how much the Trust have spent on Legal fees so far with regards to taking the case of BABY Alfie Evans to the High Court to terminate his life support?”
The response read: “The Trust has engaged external lawyers to represent it in court proceedings concerning the care of Alfie Evans and provide related legal advice and support.
“As of the date of your request, the Trust’s records indicate that a total sum of £145,354.77 (excluding VAT) including disbursements such as counsel and court fees has been invoiced in relation to both the court proceedings and related legal advice and support.”
Alfie’s aunt, Sarah Evans, shared the response on Facebook writing: “When you get sent this. Furious, angry and disgusted is not even close, the tax payers money?
“Over £145k to kill my nephew? Alder Hey and our government. Need I say more. We had a hospital, we had the money to take him elsewhere, we had the plane ready, we had Alfie fighting and they paid this to kill him?
“Ask yourselves why? We had no chance of saving our warrior Alfie when we had 60 plus police officers guarding that hospital.
“We the family got our bags checked when we went to visit Alfie, as well as being escorted by police down the corridor to see him.
“We could not close the doors on Alfie’s cubicle to have privacy as a nurse had to sit outside to watch us like we were criminals, as well as three to four police officers outside Alfie’s room. Three outside the ward and two at the end of the corridor as well as all exits.
“Ask yourself when the new royal was born were there that many police officers guarding them? No they done wrong and the truth will be out soon.”
The response fuelled outrage on social media.
Gemma Halligan said: “B**s they’re all corrupt.”
Jess Webster wrote: “Disgusting. They should be ashamed of themselves how can they even sleep at night would they treat their own child like that? No so why do it to someone else’s is so horrible.”
Debbie Hackett added: “My blood is boiling. How dare they.”
April Byron commented: “Heartless b**s the lot of them. What they did was disgusting, I don’t know how they can sleep at night.”
Lisa Marie Francis wrote: “This is sickening. So this is what taxpayers money pays for? Count me out. Thinking of you all and the truth will come out.”
While Jennifer Forwood said: “Absolutely outrageous it’s sickening.”
Alfie was 23-months-old when he died – a week after his life support was withdrawn.
Alfie had a degenerative brain condition and his parents lost all legal challenges to a court ruling which allowed the hospital to take him off life support.
His parents Kate James and Tom Evans had hoped to take him to Italy for treatment, but were denied by the High Court who backed hospital bosses.
A spokesman for Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are not making any comments about this case at this time.”
