Netherlands begins child euthanasia

Dutch authorities reported the first case of euthanasia involving a child under a law relaxed in 2024 to permit the practice for children between ages one and 12.

A girl nearly 24 months old received a lethal injection in 2025 after her parents and doctors determined her suffering was hopeless and intolerable. The child was born prematurely at 26 weeks and suffered severe brain damage, resulting in constant epileptic fits, mental impairment, difficulty swallowing, and probable blindness. A Dutch euthanasia review committee found the physician acted with due care, noting that the child's motor skills, behavior, and personality were seriously affected and would not improve despite medical and non-medical interventions.

While the parents and doctors believed the child's condition was unbearable, doctors providing a second opinion disagreed. Those doctors reported that the child was not experiencing continuous unbearable suffering at that time, though the epilepsy caused significant discomfort.