At least 4 New Zealand suicide deaths linked to Canadian

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Two of the suicide substance victims

The Agence France-Press reported on July 22 that at least 4 New Zealand suicide deaths are linked to a Canadian who sold "suicide kits" online.

Kenneth Law was charged with 14 counts of second degree murder in December 2023. Law is believed to have distributed "suicide kits" to 1200 people world-wide who ordered the kits online. Recent news reports indicate that Law's trial will begin in September 2025.

According to Agence France-Press:

A New Zealand coroner has formally linked four deaths to the sale of “suicide kits” bought online from a former Canadian chef, according to findings published Monday.

Coroner Alexandra Cunninghame found that three students, aged 18 to 21, and one 40-year-old personal trainer killed themselves after buying kits from businesses linked to Canadian Kenneth Law.

Canadian police believe Law sent as many as 1,200 “suicide kits” to people in more than 40 countries between 2020 and his arrest last year — specifically targeting vulnerable people online.

Agence France-Press reported that at least 88 people died in Britain after receiving the suicide kit.

Imogen Nunn

On August 27, 2023 Jon Woodward reported for CP 24 that:

The British mom of a TikTok star is coming forward demanding justice after she found out her daughter died using a so-called suicide kit allegedly sold by a Canadian man, as deaths possibly tied to Kenneth Law rise to over 100.

Louise Nunn said it was sickening to learn that the death of her daughter Imogen, known as “Deaf Immy” to 710,000 TikTok followers, was one of 88 British people local police say died after ordering products from Law’s websites over a two-year period.

Nunn said it was heartbreaking to learn of other deaths months and years before Imogen’s, and believes many lives could have been saved if authorities had acted earlier.

Charges against Law include a 16-year-old suicide death in Ontario. CBC News reported on May 8 that 17-year-old Anthony Jones from Michigan allegedly died in connection to Law's suicide kit.

Law appeared for a bail hearing on Friday August 25, 2023 and plead not guilty. Woodward reported:

Police in Canada have warned about the websites, allegedly run by Mississauga’s Kenneth Law, ...Peel Police said at the time of his arrest that they had tracked some 1,200 products to 40 countries.

Law claims that he is innocent of the charges and had no control over what people did with his suicide substance. Law was selling a legal product, that was packaged in a lethal dose. Law was promoting and selling the "suicide kit" allegedly purpose of suicide.

Netherlands assisted suicide group leader found guilty of distributing suicide drug

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Netherlands court has given light sentences to members of Coöperatie Laatste Wil (CLW) who were promoting the use of a suicide powder. They were also found to be collaborating with (Alex S) who was convicted in 2023 for assisting the suicides of at least 10 people but was known to have sold a suicide powder to at least 1600 people.

Jos van Wijk

It is good that the Dutch court prosecuted Tineke B and Jos van Wijk but considering the pain and suffering of the families who lost loved ones, the sentence may not deter future similar crimes.

The NL Times reported on July 4 that Tineke B. (74) and Jos van Wijk (76), the former chairman of (CLW) were convicted for collaborating with Alex S. Alex S was convicted last year of selling drug X to at least 1600 people. 

(CLW) is a Netherlands assisted suicide group that believes that everyone should have access to drugs for the purpose of suicide. They were known for promoting the use of drug X.

DutchNews.nl reported on July 18, 2023 that (Alex S) from Eindhoven Netherlands was convicted of selling a suicide powder, with instructions, to as many as 1600 people. (Alex S) was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison in the suicide deaths of at least 10 people who were known to have died.

Jos van Wijk, former chairman of the Coöperatie Laatste Wil, was originally arrested on September 30, 2021 for allegedly participating in a criminal organization with other CLW members being added to the prosecution list later.

The NL Times reported on July 4, 2024 that:

B. got a suspended prison sentence of 1 year with a probation period of four years. According to the court, she was involved in the assisted suicide of at least one woman and thereby caused a lot of suffering to the woman’s loved ones. “As a result of their mediation, this lady was given Drug X and an antiemetic with which she ultimately ended her life,” the court said. The woman’s daughter said in her victim statement that a distance occurred between her and her mother since her mother made contact with B. “As a result of which, she was unable to assist her mother in the final phase of her life in the way that she wanted,” the court said. That weighed heavily in B.’s sentence, the court said.

Van Wijk got a suspended prison sentence of 4 months and a probation period of 1 year. According to the court, as the director of CLW at the time, Van Wijk should have taken faster, clearer, and stricter action against the informal trade of the suicide drug. “He allowed a culture to continue in which drug X could be provided by the group. His intention to participate in the criminal organization can be deduced from the conscious development and continuation of a certain culture in which rules are broken and in which the man was even actively involved at times.”

According to the court, there was not enough evidence to prove that Erik van V. (75), Jos S. (75), and Marja K. (76) participated in that criminal organization. The court acquitted them. The OM asked the court to acquit another former director, Petra de Jong (71), and the court agreed with that request.

Ximena Knol, who was 19 years-old, (pictured right) died in February 2018 after ingesting the suicide powder.

The Netherlands court seemed to ignore the fact that CLW members were promoting the use of the suicide powder in the media. 

On May 9, 2023, Canadian, Kenneth Law (57) was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting the suicide deaths of two people in Peel Region, through online sales of a substance that is lethal in high concentrations. Law sold the substance online for the purposes of aiding suicide. Law allegedly distributed 1200 packages of the suicide powder and is possibly linked to deaths in many countries.

Coroner calls for clampdown on Google and Amazon selling suicide substances.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Chloe Macdermott

The Assistant Coroner in West London (UK), Paul Rogers, is urging tighter restriction be put on online suicide websites, suicide chatrooms as well as Google and Amazon.

Rogers wrote to Home Secretary James Cleverley, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins, and Culture Secretary Lucy Fraser to call for action to prevent more deaths after investigating the suicide death of Chloe Macdermott, 43, who died by suicide after forming an online suicide pact.

An article by Tristan Kirk that was published in The Standard on January 1, 2024 concerning Macdermott, stated:

She had bought a substance usually used as a food preservative from the US through Amazon, and both she and an online contact ingested the substance on the same night in May 2021. 

Ms Macdermott, who ran her own jewellery making business Kitty Clobber, died in the early hours of May 23, 2021, on her bed at the home she shared with her husband in Maida Vale.

According to Kirk, Rogers wrote in a report that was also sent to bosses at Google and Amazon that:

“Chloe was able to purchase the product used over the internet and have it delivered to her home in the UK.  

“Enquiries showed the product was purchased using Amazon in the United States.” 

Further to that, in the report Rogers:

identified a website and chatrooms which “encourage suicide, assist it by provision of information about suicide methods, counsel suicide by providing information about it and thereby potentially facilitate the commission of a criminal offence in the United Kingdom.” 

Kirk concluded the article by stating:

Recording the death as suicide at the conclusion of the inquest, Mr Rogers said Ms Macdermott had struggled for years with her mental health, and in her final weeks “became increasingly suicidal and researched ways to end her life using the internet, and internet chat rooms”. 

In December 2023, Kenneth Law, a Canadian man who had been charged on May 9, 2023 with two counts of aiding and abetting suicide in the Peel Region, allegedly through the online sales of a legal substance that is lethal in high doses, was officially charged with 14 counts of second-degree murder.

The Dutch News reported that a Netherlands man (Alex S) was convicted on July 18, 2023 for selling a suicide powder, with instructions, to as many as 1600 people and was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for the suicide deaths of at least 10 people.

Be careful when writing about suicide. Be aware of suicide contagion.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Recent articles about Kenneth Law, the Canadian man who allegedly sold 1200 suicide kits online, have created anger and disgust among many people, especially the families of the victims. 

Law has been charged with aiding and abetting suicide in the deaths of 14 Ontario residents, one of whom was 16-years-old. Law is being investigated for his alleged role in the deaths of 88 people in the UK and was allegedly involved in the deaths of many Americans, including 17-year-old Anthony Jones of Michigan.

On July 18, 2023, a Netherlands man (Alex S) was convicted for selling a suicide powder with instructions to as many as 1600 people and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison in relation to the suicide deaths of at least 10 people.

I am concerned about the suicide contagion effect when writing about Kenneth Law and (Alex S). I remain concerned about how people are writing about Philip Nitschke, who essentially makes his living selling suicide books, materials and devices, and is possible responsible for many more deaths than Law and (Alex S) combined.

Aislin Murphy wrote an article about Kenneth Law that was published by CTV News on July 25, 2023. In the article, Murphy interviewed Nitschke who essentially says that Law wasn't careful because he was selling the suicide substance to everyone, including teenagers. Nitscke, in the interview, justifies elder suicide. Murphy wrote:

While Nitschke advocates for seniors hoping to end their own lives, he says Law acted short-sightedly by allegedly selling sodium nitrite to younger individuals.

It is interesting that Nitschke, a long-time assisted suicide activist and makes a living selling his suicide books, materials and devices, was concerned about teen suicide. In a 2001 interview with Kathryn Lopez,

 Nitschke said that the "peaceful pill" should be provided to troubled teens. Nitschke stated to Lopez in 2001:

I do not believe that telling people they have a right to life while denying them the means, manner, or information necessary for them to give this life away has any ethical consistency. So all people qualify, not just those with the training, knowledge, or resources to find out how to “give away” their life. And someone needs to provide this knowledge, training, or recourse necessary to anyone who wants it, including the depressed, the elderly bereaved, [and] the troubled teen. If we are to remain consistent and we believe that the individual has the right to dispose of their life, we should not erect artificial barriers in the way of sub-groups who don’t meet our criteria.

Recently the media once again promoted Nitshcke's Sarco euthanasia capsule. The Sarco capsule was developed by Nitschke as a way to gain media attention and to promote his websites that sell suicide books, materials and gadgets. Nitschke is 'making a killing' on selling suicide.

Everything written about Nitschke provides free advertising and promotion for his suicide websites that enable him to make money selling suicide.

Be careful when writing about Dr Death.

Canadian connected to the suicide deaths of many young people.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Kenneth Law

On August 25, 2023 I published an article about Kenneth Law, a Canadian man who is being investigated by UK authorities for aiding the suicide deaths of at least 88 people.

CTV News videojournalist, Jon Woodward, reported on May 9, 2023 that Kenneth Law, 57, was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting the deaths of people in the Peel Region, allegedly through the online sales of a legal substance that is lethal in high concentrations. Law allegedly sold the substance online for the purposes of aiding suicide. Law is believed to have sold 1200 packages of the suicide substance online.

Imogen Nunn

On August 27, Woodward provided an updated report that was carried by CP24 on the investigation into Kenneth Law. Woodward reports:

The British mom of a TikTok star is coming forward demanding justice after she found out her daughter died using a so-called suicide kit allegedly sold by a Canadian man, as deaths possibly tied to Kenneth Law rise to over 100.

Louise Nunn

Louise Nunn said it was sickening to learn that the death of her daughter Imogen, known as “Deaf Immy” to 710,000 TikTok followers, was one of 88 British people local police say died after ordering products from Law’s websites over a two-year period.

Nunn said it was heartbreaking to learn of other deaths months and years before Imogen’s, and believes many lives could have been saved if authorities had acted earlier.

“I can’t even say how angry it makes me feel. It’s sickening. Why did they let it go on for so long? They could have stopped this a long time ago,” Nunn said.

Law appeared for a bail hearing on Friday August 25, 2023 and pled not guilty. Woodward reported:

Police in Canada have warned about the websites, allegedly run by Mississauga’s Kenneth Law, who faces two charges of aiding and abetting suicide. Peel Police said at the time of his arrest that they had tracked some 1,200 products to 40 countries.

Law, once a chef at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel, and a former engineer, has said that he’s not responsible for what people do with his products and has denied the charges. He briefly appeared at a bail hearing on Friday and remains in custody.

Woodward reported that the youngest victim connected to Kenneth Law was 17.

Many of those who died were in their 20s, according to family members. The youngest was 17-year-old Anthony Jones in Michigan. The earliest known case is a 21-year-old named Jaden, who died in February 2021 — his family said they went to police in B.C. almost two years before Imogen Nunn’s death.

Imogen Nunn died suddenly in January, 2023 and the family didn't know how she died until the toxicology report confirmed that she died from the suicide substance.

Law claims that he had no control over what people did with his suicide packages. Law was selling a legal product, but he was packaging it in a lethal dose and he was promoting and selling it for the purpose of suicide.

A Canadian is being investigated in the UK for aiding 88 suicide deaths.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Kenneth Law

Euronews reported on August 25, 2023 that a Canadian man who has been charged with assisting the suicide of at least 2 people is being investigated by UK authorities in the suicide death of 88 people.

Kenneth Law (57), who has been accused of distributing 1200 packages of a suicide substance, is being investigated by UK authorities in the deaths of 88 people and is suspected to have distributed the suicide substance to 232 people in the UK who purchased the substance online. Euronews reported:

British law enforcement authorities have said they are investigating 88 deaths linked to a Canadian man alleged to have illegally sold substances online to people at risk of suicide.

As many as 232 people in the UK are thought to have purchased items from him. However, the NCA has stressed that so far, it has not confirmed direct links between his products and the 88 deaths it is probing.

"Our deepest sympathies are with the loved ones of those who have died," said NCA deputy director Craig Turner. "They are being supported by specially trained officers from police forces."

Euronews reported that the UK investigation began this Spring after police in the English county of Surrey reached out to Law over the death of a 22-year-old man, Tom Parfett, who had visited one of Law's websites and died by suicide in 2021.

Neha Raju & Tom Parfitt died by suicide.

An article by Dan Sales that was published in the Daily Mail on August 25 quoted David Parfitt, the father of Tom Parfitt, as stating:

'It really didn't need to be this high a number of cases.

'There were enough signals early on in investigations worldwide to have stopped this and stopped it sooner which would have saved lives. I think that should be the focus.

'Surrey Police weren't even aware that two people within months, one of which was Tom, had died in the same way from taking this.

'It's like our children were handed a loaded gun and told how to shoot themselves. This poison is the same thing.

'It comes back to the police not showing enough curiosity or following their own processes - they are meant to catch things like this.'

CTV News journalist, Jon Woodward, reported on May 9 that Kenneth Law, 57, faces two counts of aiding and abetting the deaths of two people in Peel Region, allegedly through the online sale of a legal substance that is lethal in high concentrations. Law sold the substance online world-wide for the purposes of aiding suicide.

Law is believed to have sold 1200 packages of the suicide substance online.

Dutch News reported that a Netherlands man (Alex S) was convicted on July 18, 2023 for selling a suicide powder, with instructions, to as many as 1600 people and was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for the suicide deaths of at least 10 people.

CTV News publishes irresponsible suicide article

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Kenneth Law

An article written by Aisling Murphy and published by CTV News on July 25 appears to focus on the case of Kenneth Law who was arrested on May 2, 2023 for allegedly selling 1200 suicide kits online. In reality, the article promotes suicide.

The article interviews family members of victims who died by suicide after allegedly obtaining a suicide kit from Law. The article names the suicide substance and provides justification for elder suicide.

Suicide prevention guidelines clearly state that it is inappropriate to describe suicide methods or instructions or appear supportive of suicide deaths.

The article begins by stating:

Law was arrested by Peel police on May 2 and charged with two counts of counselling or aiding suicide. It’s possible more charges could follow from additional police jurisdictions – a Dutch man by the name of “Alex S.” was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison last week for similar charges in the Netherlands.

Over 40 countries and 11 Ontario police forces are now involved in the investigation against Law, who briefly appeared in court on Friday.

The prosecution of Kenneth Law is proving to be a flashpoint in two major online movements: the “pro-choice” suicide advocates, who run forums with detailed guides on how to take one’s own life, and the parents of children who lost their lives in part due to information gleaned from those sites, often with the help of people selling suicide devices online. CP24.com has studied these sites extensively, and Law’s alleged businesses were frequently recommended to at-risk users before his arrest in May.

Last week, Alex S was convicted in the Netherlands for aiding suicide in at least 10 suicide deaths and sentenced to 3.5 years after he sold online 1600 packages of a suicide substance. 

Murphy interviewed Kelli Wilson and Catherine Adenekan, located in the U.S. and U.K. respectively, who are mothers of children who died after receiving the suicide substance through pro-suicide forums. Murphy writes:

“This trial is monumental in so many ways,” said Wilson. “These sites sell to vulnerable people. It’s aiding and abetting suicide, which is akin to murder.Law weaponized mentally ill people against themselves, and that can’t be allowed to continue. It’s a no-brainer. He needs to be held accountable for what he’s (allegedly) done. And the lawmakers, as well – they’ve facilitated these havens for crime.”

“What he’s (allegedly) done is one of the worst things you could possibly do,” added Adenekan. “The root cause of the problem, though, is [pro-suicide forums], which is how sellers like Law get their customers.

“We’re hoping that each and every person he has (allegedly) assisted will get justice for what he’s done,”

I applaud Murphy for interviewing families of suicide victims. However, she is irresponsible and unprofessional by naming the substance used for suicide, including an image of the package of the substance. 

Murphy also interviews Philip Nitschke, a long-time suicide and euthanasia activist, who makes a living selling his suicide book and suicide materials. 

Nitschke essentially says that Law wasn't careful because he was selling the suicide substance to everyone, including teenagers but then Nitscke justifies elder suicide. Murphy states:

While Nitschke advocates for seniors hoping to end their own lives, he says Law acted short-sightedly by allegedly selling sodium nitrite to younger individuals.

It is interesting that Nitschke is concerned about teen suicide considering he told Kathryn Lopez in a 2001 interview that he would provide the "peaceful pill" to troubled teens. Lopez reported in 2001:

I do not believe that telling people they have a right to life while denying them the means, manner, or information necessary for them to give this life away has any ethical consistency. So all people qualify, not just those with the training, knowledge, or resources to find out how to “give away” their life. And someone needs to provide this knowledge, training, or recourse necessary to anyone who wants it, including the depressed, the elderly bereaved, [and] the troubled teen. If we are to remain consistent and we believe that the individual has the right to dispose of their life, we should not erect artificial barriers in the way of sub-groups who don’t meet our criteria.

Nitscke is happy to do these interviews because it directs people to his suicide website.

Murphy and CTV  are irresponsible by publishing an article that essentially promotes suicide.

Police concerned with suicide substance shipped by mail to the public

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Kenneth Law

If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health there are a number of ways to get help, including by calling Talk Suicide Canada at: 1-833-456-4566.

Police investigating the online sales of a suicide powder in Canada are concerned with members of the public who may be in possession of the powder. Eleven Ontario police services are involved with the investigation.

Peel Regional Police Constable Sarah Patten was reported on June 16 by Ryan Rocca for Global News as urging:

individuals be alert for any packaging or labels identifying sodium nitrite, including hoods and/or masks that could be used for self-harm.

She said officers are concerned that individuals are in possession of the items and asked that everyone “be vigilant” of online transactions made by loved ones from the following companies:

• Academic / ACademic
•  AmbuCA
•  Escape Mode / escMode
•  Imtime Cuisine
•  ICemac

“If you or someone you know received a package containing the described items from these businesses or have information about an incident, please contact your local police service,” Patten said.

She said individuals can also contact the Peel Regional Police at 1-888-714-0003 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Neha Raju and Tom Parfett

CTV News journalist, Jon Woodward, reported on May 9, 2023 that Kenneth Law, 57, was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting the suicide deaths of two people in Peel Region, through the online sale of a legal substance that is lethal in high concentrations. Law sold the substance online for the purposes of aiding suicide. Law is allegedly linked to deaths in many countries. Woodward reported:

How can so many suicides be linked? There’s something going on behind the scenes,” said Lee Cooper from the U.K.

Cooper believes his 41-year-old brother Gary consumed sodium nitrite mailed from Canada last year.

Besides Cooper, 23-year-old Neha Raju and 22-year-old Tom Parfett died in the U.K., 20-year-old Noelle Ramirez died in Colorado, and 17-year-old Anthony Jones died in Michigan.Police are investigating 1200 people who received packages from Law.

Woodward reported that police are examining more suicide deaths to determine if those deaths are linked to Kenneth Law. Since 2020, the suicide powder may be linked to 30 deaths in Ontario, 15 deaths in British Columbia, 2 deaths in Manitoba and 1 death in New Brunswick as well as other jurisdictions.

Law is believed to have distributed 1200 packages of the substance. Many more suicide deaths may be connected to Kenneth Law.

Ontario man charged with two counts of aiding and abetting suicide.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health there are a number of ways to get help, including by calling Talk Suicide Canada at 1-833-456-4566.

Kenneth Law

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

CTV News Videojournalist, Jon Woodward, reported on May 9 that Kenneth Law, 57, faces two counts of aiding and abetting the deaths of two people in Peel Region, allegedly through the online sales of a legal substance that is lethal in high concentrations. Law sold the substance online world-wide for the purposes of aiding suicide.

Woodward reports that the case has world-wide implications:

The case is being watched as far away as the United Kingdom, where several families believe their troubled loved ones were among the recipients of the 1,200 packages police allege Law sent to more than 40 countries from the Lincoln Green post office in a Mississauga mall.

Neha Raju and Tom Parfett

Law is allegedly linked to deaths in many countries. Woodward reports:

How can so many suicides be linked? There’s something going on behind the scenes,” said Lee Cooper from the U.K.

Cooper believes his 41-year-old brother Gary consumed sodium nitrite mailed from Canada last year.

Alongside Cooper, 23-year-old Neha Raju and 22-year-old Tom Parfett died in the U.K., 20-year-old Noelle Ramirez died in Colorado, and 17-year-old Anthony Jones died in Michigan.

Police are investigating the 1200 people who received packages from Law. Woodward reports:

Peel police say they have been tracking the packages sent from these companies, including Imtime Cuisine and Icemac, and police in Colorado and the U.K. did a blitz of welfare checks to possible customers in recent days.

In Saskatchewan, Regina’s police service confirmed to CTV News Toronto it is re-examining a death after being alerted to it by their coroner's service on May 4.

Halifax’s Regional Police also told CTV News Toronto they conducted a wellness check after being contacted by Peel Regional Police.

Woodward reported that police are examining suicide deaths to determine if these deaths were linked to Kenneth Law. Since 2020 the suicide substance may have been linked to 30 deaths in Ontario, 15 deaths in British Columbia, 2 deaths in Manitoba and 1 death in New Brunswick as well as many other jurisdictions.

Law was believed to have distributed 1200 packages of the substance, it is likely that many more suicide deaths will eventually be connected to Law.

Previous article:

• Ontario man arrested for selling suicide substance (Link).

Ontario man arrested for selling suicide substance.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

An Ontario man, Kenneth Law, has been arrested and charged with two counts of assisting a suicide and is known to have assisted the suicide of at least 7 people in the US and the UK.

Neha Raju and Tom Parfett

Lucas Casaletto reported for City News that:

Peel Regional Police announced the arrest of a 57-year-old Ontario man stemming from the online distribution of sodium nitrite across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) that resulted in two deaths.

Authorities in Peel Region opened an investigation following a report from the Times of London in the United Kingdom. It mentioned that a GTA resident named Kenneth Law had been selling sodium nitrite, a legal but lethal drug, to people in the U.K. and the U.S., which resulted in seven suicides.

On March 31, officers in Peel Region began investigating the circumstances of a sudden death in Ontario. It is believed that Law distributed and marketed the substance online to target individuals at risk of self-harm.

Law was arrested by Peel police on Tuesday and charged with two counts of counselling or aiding in suicide. He appeared briefly in a Brampton court on Wednesday, where his case was put over to next week. 

An article by George Odling for the Daily Mail explains that Kenneth Law is linked to four suicide deaths in the UK including Neha Raju and Tom Parfett. Odling reported that: 

Law allegedly gave instructions about the poison to an undercover reporter posing as a suicidal customer, and boasted that some buyers had told him he was doing 'God's work'.

He claimed to have sent the poison to hundreds of buyers in Britain and pledged to continue to do so until he had exhausted his inventory - despite pleas from UK police forces and coroners.

Odling also reported that Anthony Jones, an American who also died after consuming the substance obtained from Law told his mother, as he was dying, that he wanted to live. 

Ximena Knol

Similarly, a Netherlands man was arrested on Febuary 21, 2022 in the deaths of four people who died after ingesting a suicide powder.

Ximena, who was 19 years-old, died in February 2018 after ingesting the suicide powder.

 

The Netherland Coöperatie Laatste Wil (CLW) assisted suicide group has promoted the suicide powder. The Public Prosecution Service arrested the CLW chairman, Jos van Wijk, in September 2021 for his alleged involvement in promoting and distributing the suicide powder.

 

Kenneth Law was distributing the same suicide powder as the The Netherland Coöperatie Laatste Wil (CLW) group was promoting.

EPC published an article by Randy Knol, the father of Ximena. Since then Randy has been working to ban the lethal suicide powder. Randy is the founder and chairman of the Ximena’s Butterfly Foundation.

Dutch court rejects expansion of who can assist a suicide.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Ximena died by assisted suicide in 2018.

A Dutch court rejected a challenge to the Netherlands euthanasia law by the group - Coöperatie Laatste Wil. The group launched the cout case in October challenging the Dutch euthanasia law because it restricts killing to doctors. The group wants anyone to be able to assist a suicide with legal immunity.

As reported by Reuters news:

In their written decision, the judges ruled that the Dutch law strikes a "fair balance between the societal interests of a ban on assisting a suicide - protection of life and preventing abuse of vulnerable persons - and the interests of an individual to have access to physician-assisted suicide in the case of unbearable suffering without the prospect it will get better".

Coöperatie Laatste Wil promotes access and assistance to suicide for anyone. Reuters explained what the case concerned:

Right-to-die organisation Cooperative Last Will brought the case with the aim of widening existing laws. It argued the ban on assisting suicide not overseen by medical professionals violated the right to self-determination and respect for private life enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights.

A Reuters news article on October 10 reported that Cooperative Last Will - is also involved in another court case concerning the distribution of a suicide substance:

Cooperative Last Will has been promoting a suicide powder it calls "Substance X" since 2018. There is a separate ongoing case before the Dutch courts against a member of the cooperative who is suspected of illegally assisting suicide by selling "Substance X" to at least 33 people.

A ruling is expected on Dec. 14, the judges said.

On September 30 I published an article by Randy Knol, concerning the arrest of Jos van Wijk, chairman of the Coöperatie Laatste Wil, euthanasia group. van Wijk was arrested for allegedly participating in a criminal organization. Randy is the father of Ximena, a 19-year-old who died in February 2018 by ingesting the suicide powder known as "Substance X."

More articles on this topic:

• Netherlands man arrested for selling suicide powder resulting in at least 4 suicide deaths (Link).
• Netherlands assisted suicide group member admits to breaking the law in at least 100 suicides (Link).
• Dutch assisted suicide group leader arrested for participating in an alleged criminal organization (Link). 

Netherlands death group launches court case to allow anyone to participate in suicide.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

The Netherlands euthanasia group - Cooperative Last Will - launched a court case challenging the Dutch euthanasia law because it allows doctors to kill by euthanasia but it forbids people who are not doctors from participating in suicide.

The Cooperative Last Will case was launched to expand the Netherlands euthanasia law. A Reuters article written by Stephanie van den Berg and published on October 10 reported:

A lawyer for the cooperative said the case is strategic litigation aimed at forcing the Netherlands to change the laws.

They argue that the current ban on assisting suicide not overseen by medical professionals violated the right to self-determination and respect for private life enshrined in the European convention on human rights.

Lawyers for the Dutch state argued that the euthanasia laws strike good balance between the duty of the state to protect citizens, even from themselves, and individual autonomy.

The article also explains that - Cooperative Last Will - is also involved in another court case concerning Substance X. van den Berg reported:

Cooperative Last Will has been promoting a suicide powder it calls "Substance X" since 2018. There is a separate ongoing case before the Dutch courts against a member of the cooperative who is suspected of illegally assisting suicide by selling "Substance X" to at least 33 people.

A ruling is expected on Dec. 14, the judges said.

On September 30th I published an article by Randy Knol, concerning the arrest of Jos van Wijk, the chairman of the Coöperatie Laatste Wil, euthanasia group. van Wijk was arrested for allegedly participating in a criminal organization. Randy is the father of Ximena, a 19-year-old who died in February 2018 by ingesting the suicide powder known as "Substance X."

More articles on this topic:

• Netherlands man arrested for selling suicide powder resulting in at least 4 suicide deaths (Link).
• Netherlands assisted suicide group member admits to breaking the law in at least 100 suicides (Link).
• Dutch assisted suicide group leader arrested for participating in an alleged criminal organization (Link). 

Concerned with the growth of the radical assisted suicide groups.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The assisted suicide lobby have a more extreme groups that are lobbying for suicide on demand. There are groups that provide ordering information for suicide substances and the "last will pill", there are groups that promote the concept of the "completed life" for people who are not sick but who have given up on living, and there are groups that sell books and provide information for suicide on demand.

Politically, the more extreme element within the assisted suicide lobby enable the "mainstream" groups to appear moderate.

All of these groups are intertwined with the euthanasia and assisted suicide lobby and the more radical groups see themselves as the natural outcome or final outcome for euthanasia and assisted suicide laws.

Why should you be concerned?

I have a close friend who is living with suicidal ideation. I am concerned that one day he will stumble onto one of the radical suicide promoting websites. The difficulty with suicidal ideation is that it doesn't go away. People resist the idea of suicide but once the thought that dying is better than living is firmly implanted into a person's thoughts, it seems to constantly return and it sometimes leads to a tragic end.

Ximena Knol

For instance, Randy Knol, the father of Ximena, who died by suicide when she was only 19 wrote the following about the death of his daughter:

Ximena used the “Substance X” as promoted by a Dutch radical group that came in the news 6 months prior to her death. On a television news show FWC came out in a poorly acted report that it was a substance that was painless, fast and certain. They made the idea of death so easy, however the promise they made was a big lie, it’s one of the most inhumane ways of ending your life. With “substance X” death is in fact inhumane. Science cases report about an agonizing five-day struggle to die, where no antidote is available.

Three weeks after Ximena died we warned against this substance through the media with a news article starting a wave of attention. We told our horrific story for the first time in a Late night talk show. I called the FWC radicals “end-of-life-terrorists”, which was apparently a good description because it made the headlines in many newspapers the next day.

...They are so radical, they had the plan that after a six month membership you could acquire the substance, no consulting no questions asked.

The Cooperatie Laatste Wil promotes "substance X" which is the suicide powder that caused Ximena's death.

Philip Nitschke has become a notorious and wealthy promoter of suicide through the sale of his books and devices. He has become famous with the creation of his "suicide pod" that is attractively designed to gain the attention of the media.

Nitshcke is known for his support for suicide on demand. He once told a reporter that even troubled teens should have access to the "peaceful pill". Nitschke believes that anyone should have access to an inexpensive suicide pill.

In America, a group called The Completed Life Initiative promotes suicide, assisted suicide and euthanasia. This group believes that people should be given the means to end their life when they decide that their life is complete. They provide information and advice to people who would not "qualify" for assisted suicide but who are seeking suicide. The Completed Life podcasts interview people who are planning to die by suicide. Even though the podcasts offer warnings for people who are suicidal, the instructions within the interview may lead a person with suicidal ideation to copy the suicide death.

What would happen if my friend who lives with suicidal ideation starts to listen to these podcasts?

More reasons to be concerned.

The assisted suicide lobby sells the legalization of assisted suicide by claiming that "safeguards" will prevent people who are not otherwise dying or living with mental illness, from dying by assisted suicide.

First, assisted suicide law "safeguards" are written in an imprecise manner to enable a wide interpretation of the law.

Second, in states that have legalized assisted suicide, the assisted suicide lobby are now working to eliminate the original "safeguards" in the law.

The final goal for the assisted suicide lobby is suicide on demand. For those who question my statement go to list of organizations that are members of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies website. You will notice that the extreme groups are recognized as members of the World Federation

We are concerned that the "mainstream" assisted suicide lobby groups are working to achieve cultural change while the more radical groups are working on the "final solution".

Netherlands man arrested for selling suicide powder resulting in at least 4 deaths.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Ximena Knol

A Netherlands man was arrested on Febuary 21 in the deaths of four people who died after ingesting a suicide powder. The man may have sold the suicide powder online to at least 500 people.

Ximena, who was 19 years-old, (picture) died in February 2018 after ingesting the suicide powder.

Gerda Frankenhuis reported for De Telegraaf news that Tom de M. from Castricum was arrested on Wednesday evening on suspicion of involvement in four suicides and may have sold the suicide powder to five hundred people via the internet. According to Frankenhuis (google translated):

The police found the man after a report of criminal assistance with a suicide in Zeeland and a suspicious death in Breda. A major investigation was immediately started. It became clear that the persons involved had all taken the suicide powder that they had ordered via the internet. A postal package found led the police to De M. in Castricum.

Frankenhuis also interviewed Lawyer Sébas Diekstra who represents various relatives of people who have died after taking the suicide powder. Diekstra told Frankenhuis that in at least one case, the suicide drug appears to have been ordered from the suspect, he says. Frankenhuis stated:

“It is good to see that the Public Prosecution Service has also taken the matter seriously in this case and is investigating further. Hopefully it will also become clear how many people here have become victims of the provision of this poisonous and inhumane drug with which many young people have taken their own lives," said the lawyer. “It remains horrifying to see that there are people who earn their living with a means of killing others.”

The Netherland Coöperatie Laatste Wil (CLW) assisted suicide lobby group has promoted the suicide powder. The Public Prosecution Service arrested the CLW chairman, Jos van Wijk, last September for his alleged involvement in promoting and distributing the suicide powder.

Recently I published an article by Randy Knol, the father of Ximena, who died in February 2018 after taking the suicide powder. Since then Randy has been working to ban the lethal suicide powder. Randy is the founder and chairman of the Ximena’s Butterfly Foundation.

Netherlands assisted suicide group member admits to breaking the law in at least 100 suicides.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Ximena Knol died in Feb 2018
after ingesting a suicide powder.

Wim van Dijk, a member of the Coöperatie Laatste Wil (Final Wish Cooperative), an assisted suicide lobby group in the Netherlands, admitted in an interview that has been involved with more than 100 suicide deaths. van Dijk also admits that he has broken his actions are against the law but he doesn't care.

An article by Pim Dikkers that was published by AD.nl states (google translated):

Van Dijk said in an extensive interview in the Volkskrant this Saturday. “I am a provider. I have provided Substance X to more than 100 people,"

Van Dijk said in VK that he is 'aware of the consequences' of his story... I do not care."

Euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands when approved under the law but assisting a suicide is illegal. Article 294, paragraph 2 states:

“Anyone who intentionally assists another person in suicide or provides him with the means to do so, shall, if the suicide follows, be punished with a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years or a fine of the fourth category.”

Jos Van Dijk

Van Dijk, who was recently arrested, is turning his arrest into a political campaign. Dikkers writes:

In the interview with de Volkskrant, Van Dijk goes one step further. He says, among other things: ...I now openly say here: I did this. And I want to call on other providers to do the same. I want the social unrest to become so great that the judiciary can no longer ignore it. (...) I don't care if they put me in jail.

In July the NL Times reported that a 28 year old Netherlands man known as "Alex S" was charged with assisting multiple suicides with a lethal powder. Van Dijk may be connected to Alex S.

Recently I published an article by Randy Knol, the father of Ximena, the 19-year-old who died in February 2018 by ingesting a suicide powder. For the past three years Randy has been working to get "Substance X" banned.

Dutch assisted suicide group chairman arrested for participating in an alleged criminal organization.

Breaking news

Jos van Wijk

By: Randy Knol, the father of Ximena who died at the age of 19 from ingesting a suicide powder. Randy is the founder and chairman of the Netherlands Ximena’s Butterfly Foundation.

The Chairman of a Dutch organisation that advocates for assisted suicide was arrested on alleged criminal acts.

The Dutch police arrested the chairman of The Final Wish Cooperative (FWC) in Apeldoorn Netherlands, on suspicion of involvement in assisting suicides. The 73-year-old chairman, Jos van Wijk, is according to the Dutch Prosecution Service (DPS) charged with allegedly participating in a criminal organization which has the purpose to commit or plan assisted suicide.

Under Dutch law a criminal organization is determined, when two or more people are in a structured and lasting connection committing crimes and/or planning crimes.

Van Wijk's home was searched on Tuesday, September 28. A second house in the Netherlands has been searched, presumably the home of another board member that is also the registered address of the FWC. The latter is not yet confirmed by the DPS. According to his lawyer, Tim Vis, Van Wijk was interrogated on September 29.

The investigation was initiated in response to a number of recent suicide deaths, says the DPS. The DPS, in this stage of the investigation, doesn’t want to disclose how many cases of assisted suicide van Wijk is suspected of nor give any information on where and when the assisted suicides occurred. Even lawyer Vis does not know this yet.

"The investigation is ongoing," said a spokesman for the DPS, "for that reason we can’t give any further information”.

In July 2021, the police arrested Alex S. a 28-year-old man from Eindhoven Netherlands on suspicion of selling 'suicide pills' to hundreds of people. He was a member of FWC, an organization that advocates for self-determination around the death. According to the DPS at least six people died when this man provided suicide resources. The investigation against the man started after the death of a woman in Best (NL), in May this year.

My wife Caroline and I are delighted that the danger of an organization like FWC has finally been recognized by the DPS. We hope that the arrest of the chairman of the FWC will eventually lead to a conviction and ban on this organization. Of course we think that several board members and promotors of the FWC should also be prosecuted.

Ximena Knol

Our sense of euphoria is overshadowed by the fact that if the FWC were stopped earlier, our dear daughter Ximena might still be alive. We therefore regret that politicians did not intervene much earlier and that this is now occurring three and a half years after Ximena's death. Three and a half years that we have kept the subject in the spotlights by regular television appearances and newspaper interviews.

Today many survivors that lost loved ones contacted us expressing their gratitude of the ongoing investigations against the FWC and expressing their hope that the involved participants will receive the punishment they deserve.

Dutch law forbids assisted suicide:

Article 294, paragraph 2 states: 

“Anyone who intentionally assists another person in suicide or provides him with the means to do so, shall, if the suicide follows, be punished with a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years or a fine of the fourth category.”

(a fourth category fine is Max. 21,750 Euro)

To be said that persons usually are convicted to imprisonment, organisations are fined, in this case people involved in this case can be imprisoned where the FWC will likely be fined.

Stichting Ximena’s Vlinder, founded by Randy and Caroline Knol, the parents of Ximena, battled the FWC since the passing of Ximena in February 2018. Randy and Caroline have had over 30 television appearances and in hundreds of news articles. We pay all costs from our private money and through donations from concerned people. 

Please help us in this fight by donating through our website: https://ximenavlinder.nl/doneer/