A nearly 2-year-old child in the Netherlands has become the first child under 12 to be euthanized under rules introduced in 2024. 

The child was born extremely prematurely and suffered severe brain damage, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and other serious complications that caused unbearable suffering.

Doctors and the child’s parents determined that the condition could not improve and that other treatments had failed to provide sufficient relief.

The case was reviewed by a Dutch medical committee, which concluded that the doctor had followed the required standards of care, although some doctors initially disagreed with the decision, CBS News has reported.

The case will also undergo review by the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, while the government’s rules allow euthanasia for children ages 1 to 12 only in exceptional circumstances involving unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement.