Netherlands Euthanizes Child under 12 for First Time

A child under the age of 12 has been legally killed by the state for the first time in the Netherlands this week.

So far, the Dutch government has released no details about the case.

Euthanasia for children under 12 has been legal in the Netherlands since 2024.

The New York Times reports, “In 2020, the Dutch government announced plans to allow doctors to end the lives of terminally ill children who are under 13 years old. Hugo de Jonge, the health minister at the time, predicted that the rule—which went into effect in 2024—would facilitate the deaths of about five children a year.

“Before the rule change, the country already allowed doctors to assist the deaths of people who are over 12 or less than a year old as long as their parents had consented.

“Some doctors in the Netherlands expressed concern before the rule was adjusted that they could be held criminally liable for the deaths of children between 1 and 12 for whom they provided end-of-life care.”

The case, according to protocol, was referred to an “expert committee,” which meets every two months to review such cases.

Public prosecutors will also review the case to make an independent judgment.

To qualify for euthanasia in the Netherlands, an individual must suffer from a condition from which there is no cure or relief.

Individuals can seek euthanasia for psychological conditions.

A number of European countries no allow for euthanasia. While some permit it only for terminal illnesses, in the Netherlands and a handful of other countries, the procedure is also available for people who suffer from chronic illnesses.

Euthanasia is also legal in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and four countries in Latin America.

In the US, a number of states are also adopting euthanasia laws.

In September, Illinois will become the 13^th American state, including the District of Columbia, to adopt a euthanasia law.