A 14-year-old Jehovah’s Witness suffering from leukemia who refused a blood transfusion on religious grounds, although doctors said there were great chances it would save his life, died Wednesday.

Dennis Lindberg of Mount Vernon, WA., was diagnosed with leukemia in early November; he began chemotherapy at the Seattle's Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Doctors stopped the chemotherapy treatment a week ago because his blood count was too low, according to media reports. Doctors believed blood transfusion and other treatment would give the boy a 70 percent chance of surviving the next five years.

Dennis, a practicing Jehovah's Witness, refused the blood transfusion on religious grounds. His aunt, who became his legal guardian four years ago after his father, now a recovering addict, was jailed for drug possession, is also a practicing Jehovah’s Witness and supported Dennis’s’ decision, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

The aunt,. His parents did not. They flew to Seattle from their home in Boise, Idaho, to attend a hearing Tuesday, which could have resulted in the judge ordering the transfusions to be performed.

Wednesday morning, after hearing from the parents, the aunt, social workers and the boy's doctor, Skagit County Superior Court Judge John Meyer denied the plea, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

That same day, Dennis passed away. His father called the Seattle P-I to say his son had died in his hospital bed.

Judge Meyer said this was a “stunning case,” which brought into play “issues including, but not confined to, religious freedoms” and said Dennis was aware “he's basically giving himself a death sentence.”

“I don't believe Dennis' decision is the result of any coercion. He is mature and understands the consequences of his decision,” Meyer said during Wednesday's court proceedings.

“I don't think Dennis is trying to commit suicide. This isn't something Dennis just came upon, and he believes with the transfusion he would be unclean and unworthy.”

The boy’s father also told the Seattle P-I that he had decided not to appeal the ruling after learning that Dennis, unconscious since Tuesday, had likely suffered brain damage.