You are correct. The child was effectively dead.
The issue boils down to the parents right to take the child to Italy for treatment. I’ve seen no argument as to why the state had the rght to allow treatment to be with held.
.....”take the child to Italy for treatment”.....Italy had no ‘treatment “ for Alfie....just repeating tests in hopes they could determine the cause of his brain disease. But even if they did find the cause there was nothing they could do that would restore Alfie....and the parents recognized this.