Father of Alfie Evans says his son has been 'breathing for nine hours' despite life support being turned off

The father of Alfie Evans has said his son has been breathing unassisted since his life support machine was switched off on Monday night.
Alfie Evans' life support was switched off on Monday nightAlfie Evans' life support was switched off on Monday night
Alfie Evans' life support was switched off on Monday night
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"For nine hours Alfie's been breathing for now," Tom Evans told reporters outside Alder Hey hospital.

"He's still breathing now. It's come to a point when his mum's actually asleep next to him so she can go to sleep, she feels comfortable with him," he said.

Alfie Evans' life support was switched off on Monday nightAlfie Evans' life support was switched off on Monday night
Alfie Evans' life support was switched off on Monday night
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Mr Evans said it became obvious he was breathing "within a few minutes" of life-support being withdrawn, although doctors re-intervened after he asked them to help.

He said: "I sat down with the doctor, it was a lengthy talk for about 40 minutes and he ended up saying that I'm right, and I was right, I've always been right."

Mr Evans continued: "They say Alfie's suffering. Well look at him now. He's not even on a ventilator and he's not suffering."

Asked what intervention doctors had made, he replied: "They left him for six hours without food, water and oxygen.

Alfie Evans' life support was switched off on Monday nightAlfie Evans' life support was switched off on Monday night
Alfie Evans' life support was switched off on Monday night
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"I felt blessed when they confirmed they were going to give him his water and his oxygen.

"He's now on oxygen. It's not changing his breathing but it's oxygenating his body.

"He is still working, he's doing as good as he can.

"But we do need him to be supported ... in the next hour it's going to be hard but we will need him to be supported in the next hour or two.

"Because he's been doing it for nine hours totally unexpected, the doctors are gobsmacked and I do believe he will need some form of life support in the next couple of hours and I think he ought to be respected and given that."