Child under the age of 12 euthanized in Netherland in first of its kind case

A seriously ill child under the age of 12 has been euthanised in the Netherlands for the first time. 

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The child’s mercy k!lling was revealed in a letter to the Dutch parliament from Sophie Hermans, the health minister. 

On Monday, June 22, in a letter to the Dutch parliament, Health Minister Sophie Hermans presented an annual report from the committee that reviews all late-term abortions and medically assisted de@ths of children. 

In the letter, Hermans revealed that a child di£d from euthanasia at the end of 2025 due to severe illness, Dutch News reports. No personal details about the child or their medical condition were included. 

Following protocol for all euthanasia cases, the child’s d£ath has since been referred to the public prosecution service to determine if doctors complied with the strict legal process. 

The committee reportedly spoke to the doctor involved and will share their findings with author ities.

 
This is the first time that a child under the age of 12 has been euthanized since the new law was passed two years ago. 

Voluntary euthanasia — when a medical professional ends a person’s life at their request — was legalized in the Netherlands in April 2002, making it the first country in the world to offer the option.

According to the government’s website, minors can request euthanasia from the age of 12 as long as they’re capable of assessing and understanding what’s best for them. Children ages 12 to 15 require parental or guardian consent. For minors who are 16 or 17, parents or guardians must be consulted in the decision-making process, but their consent is not required. 

In 2024, the law was extended to allow children under the age of 12 to be euthanized if the child is “terminally ill and is suffering unbearably with no prospect of improvement.” 

In these cases, the doctor and parents can decide together to end the child’s life.  

“This decision is always made in consultation with the parents and, if possible, also with the child,” the government website states.