Geneviève Lhermitte

Geneviève Lhermitte
Born(1966-11-16)16 November 1966
Brussels, Belgium
Died28 February 2023(2023-02-28) (aged 56)
NationalityBelgian
Criminal statusEuthanised
SpouseBouchaib Moqadem
ChildrenFour daughters, one son
Parents
  • Michel Lhermitte
  • Marina Schoevaert
MotiveMental illness
ConvictionMurder
Criminal penaltyLife in prison

Geneviève Lhermitte (16 November 1966 – 28 February 2023) was a Belgian woman who killed all five of her children on 28 February 2007. She killed each of her children by slitting their throats with a kitchen knife stolen from a local grocery store while her husband was visiting family in Morocco. After Lhermitte killed her children, she then tried to kill herself. She survived the suicide attempt, and was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. She was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment, and in 2023 she was voluntarily euthanized .

Lhermitte had regularly seen a psychiatrist and was reported to be seriously mentally ill. She claimed that she was driven to kill her children due to troubles at home (namely, living with an outsider who financially supported the family).