27.03.2026 09:54
After being sexually assaulted in Spain and attempting suicide, 25-year-old Noelia Castillo, who became paralyzed, won her lawsuit for the "right to end her life" against all legal objections from her family and ended her life through euthanasia.
25-year-old Noelia Castillo, who lived in Barcelona, Spain, won her legal battle after becoming paralyzed following a suicide attempt after a sexual assault she suffered. After the euthanasia request approved by the European Court of Human Rights, the young woman ended her life.
DIED IN 20 MINUTES
It was learned that Castillo passed away after a three-step injection process during the euthanasia procedure applied at Sant Camil Hospital near Barcelona. The first two injections provided deep sedation, while the last injection caused cardiac arrest, and the young woman lost her life in about 20 minutes.
HER FAMILY WAS BY HER SIDE IN HER LAST MOMENTS
In her final moments, the young woman's mother Yolanda Ramos, father Geronimo Castillo, siblings, and grandmother were present at the hospital. Despite being against the decision, her mother chose to be by her daughter's side, stating, "I am against it, but as long as she allows it, I will be with her until the last moment."
LEGAL BATTLE FROM HER FATHER
Castillo's father, with the support of a conservative Christian Lawyers group, made legal efforts for a long time to prevent the euthanasia decision. However, the court ruled that Castillo had full decision-making capacity and approved the euthanasia request.
TRAUMA THAT CHANGED HER LIFE
Castillo's life changed after a mass sexual assault by three individuals while she was staying at a state-run center in 2022. After the trauma she experienced, the young woman attempted suicide, became paralyzed from the waist down due to spinal cord damage, and lived with chronic pain.
DECISION MADE UNDER THE LAW
Under the euthanasia law that came into effect in Spain in 2021, Castillo's situation was assessed as "serious, chronic, and debilitating." The young woman, who suffered from prolonged physical and psychological pain, exercised her right to end her life voluntarily.