Parents claim 'insensitive' UK hospital staff laughed while switching off son's life support

Heartbroken parents of a five-year-old boy claimed that they heard the hospital staff laughing in the background at the time when their son's life support machine was switched off, Daily Mail reported. 

Muhammad Ayaan Haroon was admitted to Sheffield Children's Hospital in South Yorkshire, England after he was having trouble breathing. 

His father Haroon Rashid said they were in the same room as his son took his last breaths and only a thin curtain was between the doctors and nurses who were allegedly laughing. 

Rashid has submitted a formal complaint about the staff and the bosses at the hospital and has been assured of thorough investigation. 

Ayan, who had a history of respiratory illnesses and a rare genetic condition called Hace 1, died on March 13. 

"When the machine was switched off at 2:30am we had a lot of family members there. There was laughter coming from staff members. We were so upset," said Haroon, who is the father of four. 

He said that only staff was present at that time and another child when this happened. 

"Surely the staff knew Ayaan's machine was about to be turned off. They continued laughing after my relative asked them to stop. A child's life was coming to an end," said Haroon. 

Calling the action of the staff "insensitive", the father said that the family is "very angry" over their behaviour. The parents have called to probe their son's treatment. 

Haroon also claimed that his wife was given the news of their son's less chances of survival in a ward full of laughing staff, children and other parents.

The initial cause of Ayan's death has been listed as an adenovirus, however, a decision to inquire about his death hasn't been made yet.