Historic Child Euthanasia Case
Dutch Committee Details First Known Euthanasia Case Involving a Child Under 12
Anonymous
A Dutch review committee disclosed details of a child who died by euthanasia at nearly two years old at the end of 2025, in what is reported as the first known case involving a child aged 1 to 12 who was not an infant. Born at 26 weeks, the child had severe brain damage, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, medication-resistant epilepsy, and serious breathing and swallowing difficulties. The parents and treating doctor concluded that the child’s suffering could not be relieved. After consultations, one physician raised possible alternatives, while another judged the suffering unbearable and the legal requirements met. The committee found that the doctor acted with due care under the Netherlands’ 2024 rules, which permit euthanasia for children aged 1 to 12 in narrowly defined circumstances.
Key Points
1
The child was born abroad and had sepsis before doctors diagnosed extensive brain damage at four and a half months old.
2
At nearly two years old, the child’s developmental age was estimated at six weeks, and doctors expected the child to need support with all daily activities for life.
3
Doctors considered the child at high risk of respiratory infections and judged there was a very high probability the child would die at a young age from complications.
4
The child’s seizures worsened during meals in the months before death, alongside a swallowing disorder and severe sleep problems.
5
Before the 2024 law change, Dutch rules allowed euthanasia for newborns and people over 12, but not children aged 1 to 12.
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