Netherlands confirms first euthanasia of child under 12 since 2024 law expansion
The procedure took place in 2025, the Dutch health minister said Monday, without disclosing the child’s age, sex, or condition. The public prosecutor is now reviewing the case.
The case
The Netherlands has carried out euthanasia on a child younger than 12 for the first time since legislation was extended in February 2024. The procedure happened in 2025, according to a letter health minister Sophie Hermans sent to parliament on Monday, which accompanied the annual report of the commission overseeing medically assisted death in minors. Authorities have not revealed the child’s exact age, sex, or medical condition, saying only that the minor suffered from a terminal illness with unbearable suffering and no prospect of improvement. The case is now under review by the public prosecutor, who will determine whether the attending physician acted in compliance with the law.
Legal framework and history
The 2024 amendment filled a gap in the country’s euthanasia law. Since 2002 the Netherlands has allowed the practice under strict conditions, and in 2014 it was extended to minors older than 12 capable of discernment and to infants under one year with parental consent. The 2024 change added children aged between 1 and 12 with incurable diseases, severe congenital malformations, metabolic disorders, or grave damage to vital organs, for whom palliative care is insufficient. The government estimated the rule would apply to a small group of five to ten such children per year.
- Netherlands becomes first country to legalise euthanasia and assisted suicide under strict conditions.
- Law extended to minors over 12 capable of discernment and to infants under one year with parental consent.
- Legislation expanded to children aged 1–12 with incurable diseases, severe malformations, or vital organ damage where palliative care is insufficient.
- First euthanasia of a child under 12 performed; case reported to parliament in June 2026.
Euthanasia in numbers
In 2024 the Netherlands recorded 9,958 euthanasia cases, a 10% increase from the previous year. That figure represents 5.8% of the 172,049 deaths registered in the country, according to a May 2025 report by the Regional Euthanasia Review Committees.
- Euthanasia
- 5.8 %
- Other deaths
- 94.2 %
Supervision and next steps
The Dutch system relies on retrospective oversight rather than prior authorisation. The doctor reported the procedure to the special commission, which examined the medical record and interviewed the physician before forwarding its opinion to the prosecutor. For minors, both parents and doctors must consent, and doctors must conclude there is no reasonable alternative to relieve suffering. The public prosecutor’s office will now assess whether the professional followed the applicable legal framework.
