Terminally ill child put to death under the Netherlands’ expanded euthanasia law, marking first reported case involving minor under 12 and reigniting fierce debate over children's suffering and assisted dying; case referred to public prosecutor’s office
For the first time since the expansion of the Netherlands’ euthanasia law, a child under the age of 12 has been euthanized, according to a letter sent by Dutch Health Minister Sophie Hermans to parliament presenting the annual report of the committee that reviews all late-term abortions and assisted deaths involving children.
According to a report by People, the child underwent euthanasia at the end of 2025 following a severe illness. No further details about the child’s identity or medical condition were released. The case has been referred to the public prosecutor’s office, in accordance with standard procedure under Dutch law for all euthanasia cases. The purpose of the review is to ensure that physicians complied with all legal requirements and procedures. The committee also said it had spoken with the doctor involved and will forward its findings to the authorities.
This is the first reported case of euthanasia involving a child under 12 since the law was expanded in 2024. The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize voluntary euthanasia after the law took effect in April 2002.
The ethical debate
Prof. Yechiel Bar-Ilan, an internist and lecturer in medical ethics at Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Medicine, says the issue of euthanasia for children in the Netherlands has been the subject of public and moral controversy for years.
“In the Netherlands, there is a long tradition of tolerance and relatively broad medical autonomy. In the early 2000s, data published in the Netherlands showed that in rare cases of infants suffering from particularly severe illnesses, there were also deliberate actions taken to shorten life, and in some cases these were not even reported to authorities. Following this, efforts were made to regulate the issue through legislation and oversight, but even today it remains a controversial matter,” he said.
“In Israel, this is completely prohibited by law," according to Bar-Ilan. "Even if there is criticism of the current law, the approach in Israel is very different from that of some European countries. In the Netherlands and Belgium, for example, there are cases in which doctors and families jointly make decisions based on an assessment that continued life involves severe suffering with no real prospect of improvement.”
Prof. Yechiel Bar ilan
Bar-Ilan noted that different countries have different approaches to extreme cases involving infants and premature babies with very low chances of survival or a risk of severe disability. “In the Netherlands, general practitioners have a very central role. They accompany patients over many years, visit their homes and are deeply involved in the decision-making process together with families. This is part of a different medical and social tradition than the one familiar in Israel,” he explained.
However, he stressed that his personal position is clear: “There is a difference between a decision not to prolong life at any cost in a person with a terminal illness and an active action intended to bring about death.”
At what age can euthanasia be requested?
According to the Dutch government website, minors can request euthanasia from the age of 12, provided they are able to understand the meaning of the decision and its implications. Children aged 12 to 15 require the consent of their parents or guardians. Those aged 16 and 17 must involve their parents in the decision-making process, but do not require their consent.
In 2024, the law was expanded to include children under 12 in cases where the child is “terminally ill and suffering unbearably with no prospect of improvement,” according to the Dutch government website. In such cases, the decision is made jointly by the physician and the parents. “This decision is always made in consultation with the parents and, if possible, also with the child,” the government states.
When the expansion was approved, Dutch authorities estimated there would be between five and 10 cases of euthanasia involving children each year. The current case is the first to be reported since the new framework came into effect.
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