Danish children’s rights lawyer Gry Rambusch dead at 45

Danish children’s rights lawyer Gry Rambusch, known publicly as “the children’s advocate,” was found dead in her apartment on Tuesday at the age of 45, according to a Facebook post by her close friend Ea Krassel, as reported by Ekstra Bladet.

Krassel confirmed the death to the newspaper, saying, “I can barely describe how much I will miss her. There is no one like Gry. We shared a history and understood each other in a way that meant infinitely much to me.” The cause of death remains unknown.

Rambusch dedicated her career to fighting for children failed by the system. A self-described children’s rights lawyer, she represented vulnerable and neglected children in cases involving issues such as forced removals. She grew up in a home marked by abuse and systemic neglect, experiences that shaped her advocacy.

She gained national recognition as the central figure in the 2015 DR2 series Børneadvokaten (The Children’s Advocate), which followed her work with at-risk children. In connection with the program, she stated, “I chose to let a camera follow me in these cases because I hope Danes will open their eyes to how poorly things stand in the children’s sector here. We do not listen to children and their needs; instead, we let adults guess what is best for the child. That is what I want to change.”

Her work was at times controversial, and she received fines in relation to her legal practice.