Baby Alfie Evans dies in hospital after five days without life support

Alfie Evans, a 23-month-old boy who suffered from a rare degenerative brain disease, has died at Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool on Saturday, five days after his life support was removed.

The boy's parents, Kate James and Thomas Evans, took to Facebook on Saturday to announce their son's passing.

"Our baby boy grew his wings tonight at 2:30am. We are heart broken. Thank you everyone for all your support," the parents wrote.

The life support machine that helped Alfie Evans breathe had been switched off following months of legal battle.

Alfie Evans had been granted an Italian citizenship in an attempt to transfer him to a hospital in Rome to continue treatment.

The Vatican-affiliated Bambino Gesu Hospital had offered to treat Alfie Evans and keep him alive after doctors at Alder Hey contended that there was no hope of recovery.

Italian prosecutors are now reportedly considering opening a case against Alder Hey following the boy's death at the hospital.

"Alfie Evans was an Italian citizen and he died in a foreign country," a source at the prosecutor's office in Rome stated, according to The Sun.

"As a consequence his death has to be investigated - in the eyes of the law a potential crime has been committed by the hospital in Liverpool and it needs to be examined. The case will be discussed at the highest level and a decision will be made in the next few weeks - technically the charge could be murder as the machines keeping him alive were switched off," the source added.

The lengthy legal battle over Alfie's treatment had prompted Steven Woolfe, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), to launch a campaign for a new law that aims to give parents fair and equal legal representation in cases involving their child's welfare.

The proposal, called "Alfie's Law," would provide parents with a fully-funded legal team as well as access to medical and legal expertise.

A crowd of supporters released blue and purple heart-shaped balloons outside the hospital on Saturday afternoon as a tribute to Alfie Evans.

Alder Hey officials have complained about the backlash directed at the hospital, prompting the Merseyside police to warn social media users about making comments about the facility.

In a statement, the staff at Alder Hey expressed their "heartfelt sympathy" to the boy's family and asked the public to respect their privacy as well as the privacy of the hospital staff.