Contrary to reports circulating the media, rape victim Noa Pothoven was not actually 'legally euthanised', but instead died from complications with anorexia.
The 17-year-old Dutch girl allegedly sought and was refused euthanasia from doctors, despite global reports claiming she died from assisted suicide.
'Noa Pothoven had been severely ill with anorexia and other conditions for some time. Without telling her parents, she sought and was refused euthanasia… The family had tried many kinds of psychiatric treatment and Noa Pothoven was repeatedly hospitalised…' journalist Naomi O’Leary said, debunking the reports.
'A hospital bed was set up at home in the care of her parents. At the start of June she began refusing all fluids and food, and her parents and doctors agreed not to force feed her. A decision to move to palliative care and not to force feed at the request of the patient is not euthanasia.'
In an autobiography called Winning or Learning, the young girl recounted being molested at a children's party aged 11 and 12, before being raped by a man at age 14.
'After years of battling and fighting, I am drained. I have quit eating and drinking for a while now, and after many discussions and evaluations, it was decided to let me go because my suffering is unbearable,' Noa wrote.
'Out of fear and shame, I relive the fear, that pain every day. Always scared, always on my guard. And to this day my body still feels dirty.'
It is unclear how the crux of the story became lost in translation from the original Dutch reports.
