Child aged two is euthanised in Netherlands in first case of its kind

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 04:00 EDT, 28 September 2026 | Updated: 04:11 EDT, 28 September 2026 A two-year-old child has been euthanised in the Netherlands in what is the first known case of a child under 12, but not an infant, undergoing assisted death.It was previously known that a child under 12 had been euthanised in the Netherlands, but a Dutch review board has now revealed that the child was just two years old and had been suffering from severe medical conditions.An investigation by the Committee for Late-Term Abortion and Termination of Life in Newborns and Children concluded that the doctor who carried out the euthanasia had acted with due care.A report by the board explained that the child, nearly 24 months old at the time of the termination of life, was born prematurely at only 26 weeks.During the child's short life, the toddler suffered from severe brain damage, cerebral palsy and visual impairment. The child also suffered from epileptic seizures which were unresponsive to medication, and mucus in their lungs, making breathing very difficult.After determining that the child's suffering could not be alleviated through medical treatment, the doctor and parents decided to end the child's life. The report also stated that the physician had consulted other independent doctors for a second opinion.'Those physicians established that at that time the child was not continuously suffering unbearably,' the document reads. A report by the board explained that the child, nearly 24-months-old at the time of the termination of life, was born prematurely at only 26 weeks (File pic)'The epilepsy caused a great deal of discomfort, but the epileptic seizures were not continuous. Their conclusion was that there were still reasonable alternatives, such as palliative options and other medications that could possibly result in better control of the epileptic seizures.'Despite this, the child was euthanised after the doctor sought another second opinion from a physician who concluded that the toddler's 'unbearable suffering was clearly visible' and the requirements for ending the child’s life through euthanasia had been met.The committee concluded that the doctor made the correct assessment. 'All facets of 'being human' - regarding motor skills, behavior, and personality - were severely impaired and were not going to improve,' the committee said. 'Despite all medical and non-medical interventions, the parents and the doctor observed no improvement in the child's condition and were convinced that the child was suffering unbearably and without prospect of relief.'Assisted dying for terminally sick children aged from one to 12 has been legal for two years in the Netherlands. Before the change in the law, only newborns and those over 12 could be euthanised.Under Dutch law, parents must be consulted, the child must be suffering unbearably, and there can be no chance of recovery.Otherwise, euthanasia in the Netherlands is only permitted if the request comes from the patient and if a doctor agrees that they are suffering unbearably.The doctor must be satisfied that the patient is not acting under pressure and must obtain a second opinion.Euthanasia has strong public support in the Netherlands, and the country became the first nation to legalise it for those with incurable illnesses in 2002.Before the law change, there was no clear euthanasia policy for children between the ages of one and 12 because they were believed to be unable to make their own decisions.