Ajit Karn
Brussels: A Belgian woman who murdered her five children in a case that stunned the nation was euthanized at her own request on Thursday, 16 years to the day after their murders, her advocate said.
Genevieve Lhermitte slashed the throats of her son and four daughters, ages three to fourteen, with a kitchen knife on February 28, 2007, while their father was out of town.
She subsequently attempted suicide by slashing herself, but the attempt failed and she ended up contacting 911.
In 2008, Genevieve Lhermitte was sentenced to life in prison, and in 2019, she was transferred to a psychiatric facility.
On Tuesday, the sixteenth anniversary of the murders, the 56-year-attorney, old’s Nicolas Cohen, verified to AFP local media reports that his client had died by euthanasia.
Belgian law permits euthanasia for those considered to be suffering from “unbearable” psychological suffering, in addition to untreatable physical suffering.
The individual must be cognizant of their choice and articulate it in a logical and consistent manner.
“This precise procedure was followed by Mrs. Lhermitte, who gathered various medical opinions,” her attorney stated.
Emilie Maroit, a psychologist, informed RTL-TVI that Lhermitte chose to die on February 28 as a “symbolic gesture of regard for her children.”
Emilie Marait remarked, “It’s possible that she wanted to complete what she began because, in essence, she wanted to terminate her life when she murdered them.”
Belgium was shaken by the five murders in 2007 and the subsequent prosecution.
The attorneys for Lhermitte argued that their client, who had seen a psychiatrist on a regular basis, was mentally ill and should not be sent to prison.
After hearing contradictory medical testimony, the jury convicted her of premeditated murder and sentenced her to life in prison.
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In 2010, Lhermitte filed a civil complaint against a former psychiatrist, demanding up to three million euros ($3.18 million), alleging that his “inaction” had failed to prevent the homicides, but she abandoned the case after ten years without success.
In Belgium, 2,966 individuals perished by euthanasia in 2018, a 10 percent increase from 2021, according to the authorities.
Cancer remains the leading cause, but officials report that in nearly three out of four cases, the patient presented “multiple forms of physical and psychological distress.”
