Mother Admits Giving Son Morphine in 1981

Antonya Cooper, a 77-year-old from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, has admitted to giving her terminally ill seven-year-old son, Hamish, a large dose of morphine to end his suffering from stage 4 neuroblastoma in 1981. Cooper, who is now terminally ill herself, revealed this during an interview with BBC Radio Oxford as part of her campaign to change the law on assisted dying in the UK. Despite the illegality of both assisted suicide and euthanasia in England, Cooper has expressed her willingness to face potential legal consequences for her actions. She explained that her son was in immense pain and asked her to relieve it, and she believes he understood what her actions meant. The case has reignited the debate on assisted dying, with growing public and parliamentary support for legal reform.