Geneviève Lhermitte killed her four daughters and son, aged 3 to 14, in Nivelles on February 28, 2007, when the father of the children was not at home.
He then tried to commit suicide, but failed., and ended up calling the emergency services.
In 2008, a 56-year-old woman was sentenced to life in prison. In 2019, she was transferred to a psychiatric hospital.
In Belgium, the law allows people to choose euthanasia if they are considered to be suffering from “unbearable” psychological suffering And incurableand that it is not only physical.
A person must be aware of his decision and you must be able to express your desire in a reasoned and coherent manner.
“This is a special procedure that Ms Lhermitte followed after drawing up various medical reports,” her lawyer said.
Psychologist Emily Marois told RTL-TVI that Lhermitte likely chose to die on February 28 in a car accident. “a symbolic gesture of respect for one’s children”.
“It could also have been a way for her to end what she started because she actually wanted to kill herself when she killed them,” the psychologist said.
gruesome murders
The murders and subsequent trial shocked Belgium.
During the trial, Lhermitte’s lawyers argued that she had a mental disorder and should not be sent to prison. However, the jury found her guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced her to life in prison..
In 2010, Lhermitte filed a civil lawsuit seeking up to $2.6 million from a psychiatrist, claiming he failed to prevent the murders, but ultimately dropped the legal battle after 10 years.
In 2022, 2966 people died from euthanasia in Belgium.an increase of 10% compared to 2021.
Cancer remains the most common cause, but authorities report that in nearly three out of four inquiries, patients presented “various types of suffering, both physical and psychological.”
Since 2014, Belgium has allowed children to die, as well as adults, if they are terminally ill, in severe pain and with parental consent.
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Source: La Opinion
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