The death of 17-year-old Noa Pothoven, who starved herself after years of mental illness stemming from sexual abuse, has been widely misreported as a case of euthanasia. In reality, she died from refusing food and water, with her family eventually accepting her wish to die and providing palliative care.
Noa was sexually assaulted at age 11 and raped by two men at 14, leading to PTSD, depression, and eating disorders. She had once inquired about euthanasia without her parents' knowledge but was turned away due to her age. Under Dutch law, euthanasia by a doctor is legal only under strict conditions, which did not apply in her case.
Global media outlets erroneously reported that she was legally euthanised, prompting corrections from the Royal Dutch Medical Association. The Association clarified that euthanasia involves active termination of life by a physician, which did not occur. Noa's death resulted from her decision to stop eating and drinking, a form of non-interference.
Her parents, Lisette and Frans, believe Dutch authorities failed their daughter, citing delays in treatment for her eating disorder and traumatic experiences in psychiatric care. Noa had published an autobiography to help other abuse survivors, but her own condition deteriorated until she died on 2 June 2019.
