Euthanised grandmother's final plea revealed by heartbroken family: 'I made a mistake'

A woman says her beloved grandmother said she had ‘made a mistake’ just hours before she was euthanised.

Eighty-three-year-old grandmother Brigitte Stegemann was euthanised under Canada’s physician-assisted suicide program, called Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), on 10 July.

But her granddaughter Brigitte Kranendonk has said she believes Stegemann should not have been put forward for euthanisia.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Kranendonk claims that in a cognitive test to decide if Stegemann was able to consent to MAiD, she ‘got every question wrong’.

She also claims that when she sat down and told her grandmother in ‘very frank terms’ that she was going to die in a few days, she ‘cried for 45 minutes’ and said: “I’ve made a mistake.”

Kranendonk added: “She was bawling. Inconsolable.”

Brigitte Stegemann died via physician-assisted suicide in July (Handout)

However, her granddaughter claims that just 48-hours later, Stegemann died with her hands clasped in prayer and ‘covered in her own blood’ after the nurse allegedly botched her first attempt at fitting an IV.

Kranendonk told the outlet that although her grandmother had been placed in a care home she still had a good appetite and was ‘walking to the bathroom, very talkative and full of jokes’ despite a recent stomach cancer diagnosis.

Kranendonk also claimed that when asked previously about MAiD her grandmother had rejected the idea, with her granddaughter pointing to her Christian beliefs.

During one assessment, Kranendonk alleges that the doctor used ‘really loose terms’ and never used the words death or dying.

She said: “She explains MAiD to my grandmother by saying: ‘We’re going to give you medicine, you’re going to feel at peace. And I just want you to know that you won’t have a bowel movement.’

“She’s saying it in these strange terms, that aren’t literal. My Oma’s just kind of nodding. Her first language is not English, she is 83-years old and severely hearing-impaired.”

Recalling the day of her grandmother’s euthanasia, Kranendonk said the family shared Stegemann's favourite treat - strawberry ice cream - and a pastor arrived to pray over her.

During the procedure, Kranendonk said the nurse did not wear gloves and struggled to fit the IV line her grandmother’s arm.

The doctor told Stegemann that they were there to give her ‘medicine’, which Kranendonk said got no response from her grandmother.

"My Oma is not moving," Kranendonk said.

Her family have since questioned the decision (Handout)

"She doesn't open her eyes. She doesn't nod. She doesn't say anything, and the doctor just said: ‘Okay, well, I'm going to proceed.’"

She said ten minutes later, her grandmother had passed away.

Kranendonk said she has since filed appeals to the Chief Coroner’s Office in Ontario, as well as the Patient Ombudsman and Belleville Police to see if what happened that day is legal.

A patient must be sound of mind and have a 'grievous and irremediable medical condition' to be eligible for MAiD in Canada, according to government guidelines.

A spokesman for Belleville Police told the Daily Mail in a statement: “This incident is currently open and under investigation with our Criminal Investigations Division. We are unable to provide any additional information at this time.”

LADbible has contacted the care facility involved for comment.