Alta Fixsler deteriorated in months before high-profile legal battle over her life, inquest hears

A toddler whose fight for life was taken to court began to deteriorate in the months before her family's legal battle, an inquest has heard. Manchester Coroner's Court heard Alta Fixsler had defied expectations when she began to recover her ability to breathe independently almost a week after her premature birth with a severe brain injury.

Her parents Abraham and Chaya Fixsler, from Salford, were committed to caring for little Alta and determined to one day bring her home. But at 18 months old, Alta needed medical support to breathe once again, before requiring full mechanical ventilation weeks after her second birthday.

The inquest heard today (September 25) that Alta was in a 'very poor condition' following her birth by emergency caesarean section on December 23, 2018, following a placental abruption. Alta was in an 'asphyxiated state' and required extensive resuscitation, while she was showing 'no response at the time'.

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Professor Simon Mitchell, consultant neonatologist at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), was involved with Alta's care at St Mary's Hospital following her birth. He told the court he 'did not expect' Alta would recover her ability to breathe independently - and the question was raised over 'whether continuing intensive care was in her best interests'.

Prof Mitchell added: "If we ceased intensive care in those circumstances, that would be changing the focus of care from life-supporting care to palliative care, and it would likely lead to Alta's demise. That was very clearly not a consideration that Alta's family found acceptable and I understood that."

But against the odds, before the end of her