Court orders infant's life support stopped

Life-support for a comatose infant girl Alberta was ordered removed within 24 hours Wednesday by the Alberta Court of Appeal despite her parents' wishes. The 2-year-old girl, identified as "M," was taken from her home May 25 showing signs of beatings and starvation. Her 34-year-old Algerian immigrant parents are jailed on aggravated assault, criminal negligence causing bodily harm and failing to provide the necessities of life. They aren't allowed to communicate with one another, the Edmonton Journal said. Weeks ago, Alberta Children and Youth Services took over custody of the child. As doctors said the child had no hope of recovery, the agency requested ending life-support, which the parents challenged. The appeal court denied the challenge. It made the 24-hour order and said each parent could spend 20 minutes with the infant separately and under police guard. The mother's lawyer told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. she was submitting an urgent appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada Thursday morning.