Toddler, 1, euthanised in first case of its kind

A one-year-old child was euthanised in what is thought to be the first case of its kind following a change in the law two years ago in the Netherlands.

The toddler had been suffering from severe medical conditions and 'was suffering unbearably', according to a review board.

It followed an investigation by the Committee for Late-Term Abortion and Termination of Life in Newborns and Children, which revealed the child was nearly 24 months old.

It is believed it is the first case of a non-infant child under the age of 12 dying by euthanasia, and happened at the end of 2025.

A review found the child was born very prematurely at 26 weeks and three days, resulting in 'extreme complications' including sepsis.

The baby suffered severe brain damage, resulting in severe cerebral palsy and a visual impairment.

The supervising committee said this was compounded by frequent and severe epileptic seizures, and the medication doctors used to treat it resulted in 'severe side effects'.

The committee said it was unlikely the child would survive into adulthood.

The child was almost two years old (Getty)

They noted that the child 'was visibly uncomfortable' and had an estimated developmental age of six weeks at nearly two years old.

The child, whose gender was not revealed, also struggled to breathe because of mucus in their lungs and developed 'a severe sleep disorder'.

"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," the committee concluded.

Independent doctors called in to give a second opinion agreed 'there was no realistic chance of improvement in the situation and that it was an irreversible situation'.

It comes after the Netherlands changed its euthanasia law in 2024 to allow for the termination of the lives of children between the ages of 1 and 12 but under very strict conditions.

Before the law changed, only newborns and those over the age of 12 could be euthanised. Only Belgium and the Netherlands allow for the euthanasia of children.

Netherlands is one of the only countries that allows the practice (Getty)

The Government of the Netherlands stipulates that in the case of terminating the life of a child aged 1 to 12, the parents and doctors 'decide together that there is no alternative but to terminate the child’s life'.

"Termination of life is only allowed if a child is terminally ill and is suffering unbearably with no prospect of improvement," the Government states.

"This means the child is in constant, severe pain. And that there is no cure, and no reasonable alternative to relieve the child’s suffering, even through palliative care.

"In this situation, the doctor may decide, together with the parents, to terminate the child’s life. This decision is always made in consultation with the parents and, if possible, also with the child."

The board concluded that the doctor who euthanised the two-year-old child had done so with appropriate due care.

A review committee made up of four doctors specialising in relevant areas of medicine, a lawyer and an ethicist is responsble for confirming this.