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Add as a favourite source on Google Add DutchNews as a favourite source on GoogleThe parents of a 17-year-old girl who chose to die by euthanasia in 2023 due to incurable psychological suffering have gone to court to force public prosecutors to identify a group of doctors that wrote a damning letter about the case.
Their daughter Milou’s psychological struggles were documented in a 2023 documentary, which covered her wish to be granted the right to voluntary death and the aftermath that followed.
The case caused significant public controversy and a group of 14 doctors subsequently wrote a letter suggesting a criminal investigation should be launched against the parents and doctors involved in treating her.
They called on prosecutors to find out “to what extent those close to this vulnerable patient (…) influenced this young patient’s decision to choose euthanasia.” The writers of the letter did not know Milou or her personal background and had not spoken to her themselves.
Eight of the signatories of the letter are still unnamed. In a courtroom in The Hague on Tuesday, the mother of Milou recounted how that letter had led to daily threats and intimidation, requiring the police to guard their home.
“As a parent, losing your child and having to miss them forever is the worst thing that can happen to you,” the mother Mireille Verhoof told the court. “Being accused afterwards of inciting the death of your child or being complicit in her death is beyond description and unbearable.”
She also said her daughter had effectively been “abused” by anti-euthanasia campaigners, who dismissed their integrity to further a political agenda.
The family’s lawyer Richard Korver also said that the people behind the letter should not be able to use their professional authority to make serious accusations and at the same time claim anonymity, reported to Omroep Brabant.
The public prosecution department still does not want to release the names so as to avoid further conflict and ensure people can bring judicial complaints in confidence. It also disputes that the letter was meant as a formal request for criminal proceedings.
The federation of doctors KNMG also condemned the letter, describing it as “indecent and unacceptable.” The court’s decision on the release of the names is expected on September 3.
If you or someone close to you is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. In the Netherlands, call 113 or 0800-0113 (free) for 24/7 support, or visit 113.nl, where the chat service is available in English.
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