Parents of 17-year-old who died by assisted suicide start legal proceedings after death questioned

Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual violence and suicide which some readers may find distressing.

The parents of Milou Verhoof have launched a legal case to uncover the names of the 14 psychiatrists and doctors who condemned their daughter's death.

Three years ago, 17-year-old Milou was granted permission to die via a doctor-administered lethal injection due to severe psychological trauma, ending her life in October 2023.

Milou's decision to pursue euthanasia has been a highly controversial one, with 14 psychiatrists and doctors arguing that the Dutch public prosecutor's office should open a criminal investigation into her death in 2024. The group alleged that Milou had been influenced into making the decision by her parents and physician, Dr Menno Oosterhoff, and that she was not mentally competent at the time.

Milou Verhoof ended her life via euthanasia at the age of 17 (NPO)

The letter was later rebuked by the Royal Dutch Medical Association, with the board calling the letter 'indecent and unacceptable' in a strongly worded response. The response was in line with a previous judgement from the Dutch Prosecution Service, which ruled that Milou's death had met all legal requirements.

Now Milou's parents have filed a petition to have the names of the doctors and psychiatrists who signed the letter revealed, in order to pursue potential disciplinary action.

According to Dutch-language outlet Omroep Brabant, Milou's parents, Mireille and Louis Verhoof, believe the letter has 'severely harmed' them.

The couple wish to seek disciplinary action against the signatories of the letter, but must first have them named as the board does not take action against anonymous doctors. According to a report from de Volkskrant says the request has been denied by the court, citing reasons of 'personal privacy'.

Initial proceedings are scheduled to go ahead next month.

Milou's story was later turned into a film (Illumina Films)

The decision not to release the names of all 14 signatories has been criticised by the family's lawyer, Richard Korver, who told de Volkskrant that not releasing the identities of the physicians was 'shielding people who may have acted unlawfully towards the surviving relatives'.

"We are talking about doctors and professors who write a letter under their own names and, because of that good reputation, gain access to the top of the Public Prosecution Service. Then you cannot remain shrouded in mystery regarding your identity afterwards," he added.

This isn't the first time that Milou's parents have spoken out against the letter, with Mireille previously telling the outlet that none of the signatories had treated her daughter.

"They didn't know her file, but they portrayed us to the justice system as parents who drove their child to their death," she said. "We still suffer from that. Day and night."

Milou had begun to suffer mentally at the age of 11, when her brother became critically ill and was placed in a coma for a month. Her psychological distress deepened at the age of 13 when she was sexually assaulted, leading her to depression, severe self-harm, and post-traumatic stress.

Her parents are now seeking to have the 14 doctors and psychiatrists who spoke against her death named (NTR)

She would later be sexually assaulted once again by another patient while staying in an inpatient facility.

After numerous attempts to take her own life, Milou's family got in contact with Dr Oostehoff in 2022. He would end her life on 2 October 2023.

"Because of Dr Oostehoff's extremely careful and cautious approach, we as parents trusted that his conclusion-that Milou truly could not go on and that the days were unliveable for her-was the only correct one and confirmed what we as parents had long seen in our child," she added in an email to The Atlantic.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.