Spanish woman undergoes euthanasia after legal battle

Noelia Castillo, a 25-year-old woman in Barcelona, Spain, has died following a medically assisted suicide. Castillo had been paraplegic since October 4, 2022, following a fall from the fifth floor of a building, an act that occurred after she suffered a gang rape. An independent committee of experts evaluated her case and confirmed she experienced persistent physical pain and psychological distress, approving her request for euthanasia. Although her request was initially authorized for August 2, 2024, her father launched a legal challenge that delayed the process for 601 days. Five different courts rejected the father's appeals, with the Spanish Constitutional Court ultimately ruling in February 2026 that her rights were not violated. The procedure was finalized at a residential center in Barcelona, despite last-minute judicial attempts to halt it. Religious groups had publicly opposed the decision, while the patient maintained her desire to end her life with dignity.