Alfie's dad calls on pope to come, says child is 'hostage'

(ANSA) - Rome, April 26 - Alfie Evans' father on Thursday appealed to Pope Francis to travel to Liverpool to see the situation of his seriously ill son. "I call on the pope to come here to see what is happening," Tom Evans, who has been in a series of legal battles with Liverpool's Alder Hey Hospital, told the Catholic channel TV2000. "Come here and see how my son is the hostage of this hospital. What we are enduring is not right". Rome's Vatican-owned pediatric hospital Bambino Gesù has offered to treat the 23-month-old boy, who has a serious undiagnosed brain condition.
    The government in Rome has granted Alfie Italian citizenship in a bid to bring him to Italy and beat rulings to let him die.
    But the British courts have refused to allow the child, who continues to fight after being taken off life support earlier this week, to be transferred to Italy.
    "Thank you Italy. We love you," Tom Evans said.
    "Alfie is part of the Italian family. He is part of Italy. We belong to Italy".