First case in the Netherlands: 2-year-old euthanized

A two-year-old baby has been euthanized in the Netherlands, the first case of assisted death in a child under the age of 12.

The child was euthanized at the end of 2025, as revealed by Health Minister Sophie Hermans in the Dutch parliament in June.

Euthanasia of babies has been practiced in the Netherlands for many years. Before the latest change in the law, only newborns and children over the age of twelve could be euthanized. However, this was the first time that a child under the age of 12, who was not a baby, died through euthanasia in the country.

The child was born prematurely, at only the 26th week of pregnancy, and faced serious health problems, such as cerebral palsy, vision damage and seizures. He did not respond to treatment, was distressed and unable to sleep for long periods, while the accumulation of mucus in the lungs made breathing significantly difficult.

Due to the irreversible nature of the condition and the cumulative effects of these conditions, doctors had concluded that the child would not live to adulthood. They also determined that it was impossible to alleviate his pain through medical treatment. It was then that the parents and the attending physician decided to end the child’s life.

The Netherlands changed its euthanasia law in 2024 to allow euthanasia for children aged 1 to 12 under very strict conditions — including that the child must experience hopeless and unbearable suffering, that there be no other reasonable alternative, and that the case be assessed by at least one other independent physician.