Monday, August 16, 2021

Québec mother wants her 4-year-old son to die by euthanasia.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The disability community has been rightly concerned with the cultural attitudes towards people with disabilities. This story clearly warns us about the pressure to extend euthanasia to children but also the belief that it is OK to kill children with disabilities.

Abel is now 4 years old.
An article by Fabienne Tercaefs for Radio Canada on August 12, 2021 (Google translated) concerns Karie-Lyn Pelletier, from the L'Islet region in Québec, who wants her son, Abel, who has Mednik syndrome to die by euthanasia (MAiD).

According to the article Abel is severely disabled, he is deaf, lives with a severe intellectual disability and has daily intestinal problems and has already come close to death several times. His mother stated: 

"There is no possibility that my son will recover from his illness. No possibility that his quality of life will improve."
The Canadian euthanasia law permits euthanasia (MAiD) for people who are at least 18 years old and capable of consenting, or had been approved for euthanasia, while capable of consenting. Clearly Karie-Lyn is challenging the law.

According to the article Karie-Lyn wants euthanasia expanded to children. On August 11, she invited her Member of Parliament Bernard Généreux (CPC) and Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu to her home to discuss extending euthanasia to her four-year-old son Abel.

According to Tercaefs, Bernard Généreux stated:
The Conservative member believes that the subject must be broached, even though it is a delicate and, above all, very emotional issue. "These are not easy subjects, as a parliamentarian. There is no such thing as perfect law in this area. You have to go to people who have extraordinary experiences,"
Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu stated that he wants to champion the cause of child euthanasia. Tercaefs reported that (google translated):
He wants Karie-Lyn Pelletier to testify before the Senate to explain what she wants and, perhaps, to help change attitudes around end-of-life care. When we call on families who are going through the tragedies to which the laws must address, it is truly our experts at heart who make sure they will influence senators.
Tercaefs reported that Michel Bureau, President of the Commission on Life Care said that the issue of child euthanasia was being debated:
Michel Bureau recognizes that medical assistance in dying for children remains a taboo subject. In addition, he specifies that one must be extremely careful to avoid eugenics. "This is what is dangerous; a slippage that only allows those who are beautiful and perfect to live," warns the president of the Commission on Life Care. We must take the time to look at the question.

This problem is even more complicated than that of mental health.

For those who claim that legalizing euthanasia does not lead to a "slippery slope" think again.

When Canada legalized euthanasia it crossed the clear line in the sand by allowing medical killing. Once the line was crossed, there no longer remained a clear line in the sand.

Sadly, our Canadian current government wants to further expand euthanasia. It is my fear that this story, or a similar story, will cause parliament or the courts to agree to expand euthanasia to children. As I said, there is no clear line in the sand.

Canada is now having an election. Clearly change is necessary.
 

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is not an end-of-life CARE. There is no caring in it.

The child is an innocent victim to be used as a "case study".

There are alternate options. Killing an innocent child shouldn't be one of the options.

In a modern day "every child matters"...the sanctity of the child's life should be respected. Allow the child to live a life full of love and care.

Praying for support for the family and guidance for living a life as parents of a child with rare medical conditions

#humankind

Sharon M. said...

IF this old world is left to roll along as it has, on an ever-increasing bent toward nothing short of hell on earth, that "slippery slope" will become ever steeper. I predict in the future death to disabled children whose disability either isn't caught beforehand - whilst in pregnancy by ultrasound, or one that becomes apparent later in life. I also predict, soon and very soon, all older people with dementia, other disabling diseases will be hustled into eternity by some of the same people. Something has to be done, or truly only a handful of people will be making these decisions, and not those who are one bit ethical about it!

Faerlie said...

The child is inconvenient to her.

Laurie from Canada said...

This child is in danger and should be removed from the care of the woman advocating for his death.

Grannya said...

I will take the child and care for him.

Icare said...

I am prolife and very much against euthenasia, but please, let's not be unkind or judge the motives of this broken hearted mother whose aches every moment as she watches her child suffer. Instead, let us pray for her and her child for support, hope, strength, courage, solutions, and especially for healing and interventions.

edh said...

It is a terrible thing that this child is suffering. We as a society have long been agreeing to implement laws based on the extreme cases instead of looking at the overall situation. Abortion is a prime example. Abortion had to be approved because a woman could be pregnant after a rape and should not have to carry that child. This is rare but we agreed to pass a law. We also agreed that if the mother's life was in danger abortion was justified. Look where we are today with abortion on demand being used as birth control. We looked at extreme suffering with no hope of living much longer as a reason for euthanasia. We passed that law. Now we are talking about killing a 4 year old boy. Where do we go from here?
Our society no longer values life. Human beings whether they are babies or adults can be disposed of for any number of reasons. We must stop this insanity. God made us all in His image. Every life is worthy. Do not make laws based on extreme cases no matter how compelling. If the mother cannot or will not take care of the child there are other resources in modern society. Let the child live!

Gisèle A Demers said...

Yes I agree...this is nothing else but égocentrisme... Mom does not want to see child suffer.. so..kill him.. let him die

Tershia said...


The government has indicated on many occasions that euthanasia can save the healthcare budget about $138 million a year, so saving money matters more to them than love and compassion for people’s lives. This will motivate them to consider laws that will increase the availability of murder by doctor.
No child should be regarded as disposable because of the inconvenience felt by a parent or the state.
Unfortunately a precedent has already been set by the easy availability of abortion.

Heidi said...

I agree with Laurie - provide a caregiver other than the mother. One who will love, care for & nurture this precious little soul until his natural death. He is still aware of whether or not he is receiving love.

Janice said...

So, this baby is not being held 'hostage' in a hospital and the Mother was able to take her child home and care for him without any restrictions or prohibitions by the hospital and law. Meanwhile, there are babies and toddlers who are being held like prisoners in hospitals (like Tinslee Lewis), where the parents have no rights or privileges to take their child home and the hospitals and law want to kill their baby/child.

If this woman is exhausted and needs held, then this pro-death senator should maybe do his job and get the help she needs. If, however, she is simply without conscience and considers this as what 'she' wants, versus what is best for the baby, then she should be charged with child abuse and the child should be assigned to an adoptive family who will care for him.
The system is all upside down. Always someone in the picture wanting to kill the babies and their own feelings and concerns are more important than the child's life.

God help us. We must pray for Abel and for someone to step forward and stop this insanity. There must be someone in Quebec (which has turned into a kill zone with this Premier) who believes in life.

Sharla Fauver said...

I tend to agree with you. Why can't they advocate putting him in a home before just outright killing him? It is a very selfish viewpoint indeed.

Alex Schadenberg said...

Even if they ended treatment and the child died a natural death, that would be different than lethal injection.

Sean L. Tobin said...

There is no question that this is a very emotional issue. Once euthanasia was approved it opened many doors. All elders over a given age, let's say 80, can be looked at as having served their usefulness And because of the cost to medical facilities, old age funding, to look after these elders, if they end up in hospital for more than 5 days, they will be quietly put to permanent sleep. Euthanasia is just a longer spelling of the word MURDER. In this case the Mother sees the 4 year old child as a burden. But, that child no matter it's physical or mental condition has a right to live. I am not going to say I have a solution because I don't. But, I do agree with murdering the child.

A Martin said...

Yes, why not adopt him out? What he wants to live?

Terry said...

By the way MAID should be called what it is EXECUTION as with abortion also EXECUTION performed by the modern Executioners.

Carpediem1 said...

Reference the Hippocratic Oath as expressed in the Declaration Geneva? Doctors beware of the legal consequences of your actions ? Be ethical 🙏

Anonymous said...

@Sean L. Tobin, I assume you meant your last sentence to say 'But, I do NOT agree with murdering the child'.

Marion said...

We who are in the USA should not be surprised at this tragic state of affairs - the proposed murder of this child. We were the forerunners of mass "legal" murder of our unborn children and in the promotion and acceptance of the deaths via euthanasia. These immoral practices, condoned and exported by the USA through many international policies, were quickly accepted and promoted in other countries with disastrous results. Beware of the punishments that await this country and others who participate in such barbarism.

One who cares said...

I agree with Laurie from Canada. The little guy should be put in a loving, caring home. There are many people who love to love and care for this child and helpless others like him. This is prorated abortion and it should stop.

Maggy said...

Karie-lyn je suis infirmière et maman et je comprends ta peine et ton fardeau. Je peux t’aider. De grâce ne vit pas avec une mort sur la concience

Chris said...

I've said it before and I will say it again. Our dear Lord God said in Proverbs "all they that hate Me, love death" and now it's become the norm for our politicians.

Pam said...

Yes & Amen! I will join you in praying for this mother & child. She is in a hard place and needs the help of her community. May the Lord lift her up on eagles wings and carry her sadness and heal her broken heart. May He give her joy in her child and deepen her love. May she know that God loves her.

Unknown said...

Is there anyway I could adopt this child if the mother doesn't want her child?

Jenny said...

Yes! Withdrawing a ventilator is allowing the disease to cause the death. My mother did not commit suicide but wanted the disease process to not be treated (how she knew what would happen to her those 14 years before that she repeated the request, I have no idea). She never was put on a ventilator or surgery suggested for her cerebral hemorrhage. It was slower than "convenient", but we were not going to push an Overdose to hasten it! We kept her comfortable and prayed for the miracle we knew was not likely or for her to be healed eternally. The answer was the latter. I have no regrets for our suffering those 20 hours, as it helps me comfort others who suffer as we did--I can walk beside them and say I have been there. THAT is compassionate care of the patient and family. And I have seen a man survive a similar event--after many hours of prayers for his family and surgery to clip the aneurysms. I say he is my miracle man with no disability noticed after discharge. I rejoiced with his family instead of grieving at his death. That was also compassionate care.

Anonymous said...

Please if you do not want him send him to me. I may be old but relatively healthy and I still have all my faculties. I have already raised one child who was born drug addicted to adulthood. Him finishing pre med in 4 years and since he could not get in to medical schools due to foreign people having more money to pay for places in the school and even though my boy finished in the nineties, because we were poor he was overlooked. However he is now working in a prestigeous job and earning great money.

Joy said...

Kaitie Lyn is understandably exhausted and has despaired. I think she should have an option of giving Abel up, so she gets the relief she seeks, while Abel gets to live his God given purpose here on earth. Euthanizing Abel will not make anything better for Kaitie Lyn. The guilt will make her life a nightmare. She needs a lasting solution. May God’s light shine in this darkness.

Aimei Z. said...

I don't want to get off topic here but perhaps there is a possible treatment?
MEDNIK syndrome: a novel defect of copper metabolism treatable by zinc acetate therapy:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23423674/

I'm no doctor but just reading up on MEDNIK syndrome and seeing that there is a possible therapy for this makes me wonder if perhaps this avenue has been explored. Regardless I pray for Karie-Lyn who must be so heartbroken to watch her baby boy suffer every moment of his life. May God give her strength of character to recognize that his life is precious in spite of his suffering and that God has his purposes in all things. May God give her strength, peace and hope in him so that she will do the right thing.

Nikkid said...

He was created by God and only God determines how long anyone should live. Taking a life in
any fashion s murder. This mother should let someone who can give him love take care of him

Margaret Mary said...

MY SISTER IN MICHIGAN RAISED 4 SONS WITH HER HUSBAND. 2 ARE SEVERELY DISABLED..2 SAINTS.S THEY ARE 30 & 33 YOUNGEST TWO! IS THIS WOMAN OUT OF HER MIND?!!!!! SHE HAS NO RIGHT, BECAUSE HER BABY IS A BURDEN TO HER?! HE'S A SAINT! WHEN GOD CALLS THIS PRECIOUS CHILD HOME, THEN THAT'S WHAT IS TO BE. SHE WILL THEN HAVE MURDERED HER CHILD IF THIS PASSES!! SHE WILL BURN IN HELL. THIS CHILD HAS A SOUL!

Lorna Murray said...


Lorna said.This is so upsetting that this lady wants to euthenasia, her little 4 year old child,because of disabilities. I understand what it's like to have a disabled daughter, who has Cerebal Palsey, seivere learning disabilities,epelepsy,and blindness and deafness, can't walk stand or talk.Our daughter is 25 years old,but like a 6 months old baby.
Personally we would never NEVER euthenasia are daughter,or assisted suicide. We could say oh are daughter has such seivere needs,let's euthenasia her. Our attitude as parents, absolutley no way, NEVER OR NO WAY assisted suicide. We need to say, that every baby even if disabilities, who is born, are also a very special gift from God.Life is life, and not to be taken away by medics, or assisted suicide etc.
We don't beleive that this is the right way, to euthenasia any one, NEVER MIND babies, and children.Sorry it makes me feel very sick. We need to all beleive that every child baby adult no matter what the status, is . EUTHENAISA AND ASSISTED SUICIDE, is a very slippery slope, and should NOT Be ALLOWED.Any parent wanting to do this, should be given urgent practical help, and also to be help to understand, that this is actually killing life. None of us should ever consider that. That's not good at all.

Aquinas XXXXV said...

This is just like the Nazi's T-4 program that exterminated the handicapped and mentally ill. The Nazis were defeated, but their work continues is such barbaric practices.

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/euthanasia-program

Maria said...

what country do you live in? In Canada there is no law! abortion goes on from conception to moment of delivery! ww have no laws protecting the unborn at all! have not had a law in 40-50? years

Guest said...

Did you mean to say “I do NOT agree with murdering the child”?

teacher said...

The only comfort in all of this is that ultimately these murderers will stand before God Almighty and give an account. Unfortunately, unless they repent, they are the ones who will pay the price for their wicked actions--forever. The mother may be in a bad place, but she needs to find a better solution than murder or she will be answering for the murder of her child, also. It is so sad. These murderers/Nazis always use these buzz words, "quality of life". That is because these folks are GODLESS. God gives life and takes life. Putting themselves in the place of God will not end well for them no matter how they justify their actions.