Sittard woman suspected of using insulin to kill her mother

A 53-year-old woman from Sittard is suspected of murdering her 78-year-old mother with an overdose of insulin, a spokesperson for the judiciary confirmed to De Limburger. People involved told the newspaper that the woman was helping her mother commit suicide.

Assisted suicide is illegal in the Netherlands unless a doctor does it within the parameters of the euthanasia law.

The woman allegedly administered insulin to her mother and then to herself on February 21. Both women were admitted to the Zuyderland Hospital with insulin poisoning. The older woman didn’t survive.

The police arrested the daughter, and she is still in custody. The Public Prosecution Service suspects her of murder. She will appear in court for a pro-forma hearing next week.

Insulin is not available over the counter. You need a doctor’s prescription to get it. An overdose results in too low blood sugar levels, which can cause epilepsy, unconsciousness, or even death.