In a tragic and deeply saddening event, Genevieve Lhermitte, the Belgian woman who murdered her five children in 2007, has passed away through euthanasia at the age of 56, 16 years to the day after their killing. Lhermitte slit the throats of her son and four daughters aged three to 14 with a kitchen knife at the family home in Nivelles, while their father was away. She then tried to commit suicide but was unsuccessful and ended up calling the emergency services.
Lhermitte was sentenced to life in prison in 2008, before being moved to a psychiatric hospital in 2019. Belgian law permits people to choose euthanasia if they are experiencing “unbearable” psychological suffering that cannot be healed, provided they are conscious of their decision and can express their wish in a reasoned and consistent manner. Lhermitte’s lawyer confirmed that she had followed this specific procedure, with various medical opinions collected to support her decision.
