Terminally ill child euthanised in the Netherlands was one year old, government says

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Netherlands confirms first child euthanised under new law was one year old

   The Dutch government confirmed that a one-year-old child with severe brain damage, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy was the first person to be euthanised under expanded 2024 laws. The child was terminally ill and severely disabled. A government review board and official records verified the case, and prosecutors decided not to charge the doctor involved following a legal review in September 2026. The case marks the first reported instance of life termination for a child in the newly permitted age bracket of one to 12 years.

   Why it matters

   The Netherlands legalised euthanasia for severely ill children between the ages of one and 12 in 2024. This expansion of assisted-dying rules allows for the termination of life in cases of irreversible suffering. The practice remains controversial and subject to strict legal oversight.

   What is confirmed

   • The Netherlands legalised euthanasia for severely ill children between the ages of one and 12 in 2024.
   • The first child euthanised under the new law was one year old.
   • The child had severe brain damage and epilepsy.
   • A legal review of the case took place in September 2026.
   • Prosecutors will not charge the doctor who ended the toddler's life.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The child was nearly two years old.
   • The child was two years old.
   • Specialists initially said other treatments could help the child.

   What to watch next

   • Further rulings from the Dutch government review board on similar cases
   • Public or legal challenges to the 2024 assisted-dying age limits
   Sources used for this update (19)

   1. www.breitbart.com — euthanasia Articles - Breitbart
   2. New York Post — Child euthanized in Netherlands’ assisted-dying program was just a baby
   3. Daily Star — Toddler, 2, euthanised after Dutch government cuts the age limit for assisted dying
   4. The Telegraph — One-year-old euthanised in the Netherlands
   5. People.com — Netherlands Confirms First Child Euthanized Under New Law Was 1 Year Old
   6. News.com.au — Two-year-old euthanised in Dutch first
   7. WKRC — Officials confirm 1 year old was first child euthanized under new law
   8. Euronews.com — Terminally ill child euthanised in the Netherlands was one year old, government says
   9. CBS News — Severely disabled toddler euthanized in Netherlands under new rules on the controversial practice
   10. www.newser.com — Netherlands Confirms a Toddler Was Euthanized
   11. www.euronews.com — Terminally ill child euthanised in the Netherlands was one year old, government says
   12. www.euronews.com — Watch live: Pope Leo XIV in Lourdes as visit to France continues
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