Featured Image Credit: Antena 3
Topics: Mental Health, Spain, Health, News
Callum Jones
Warning: This article contains discussion of rape and suicide which some readers may find distressing.
The childhood friend of Noelia Castillo Ramos, who died by suicide on Thursday (March 26), made a desperate attempt to make her reconsider.
Noelia was euthanized at the Sant Pere de Ribes health centre in Barcelona, after a failed suicide attempt.
The Spanish woman had attempted to end her life multiple times in recent years, with an attempt in 2022 leaving her paralysed and in constant pain.
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Noelia says she was raped on two separate occasions in 2022, which left her mental health in a terrible place. She became the first Spanish citizen to qualify for assisted dying on the grounds of mental health in 2024.
She said in a TV interview with Antena 3 broadcast the day before her death: "I just want to go peacefully now and to stop suffering.
"I’ve always felt alone because I’ve never felt understood. Before I applied for euthanasia, my world was a very dark place and I foresaw a very dark end. I had no aims, no goals, nothing – and I still don’t."
Geronimo Castillo, Noelia's father, had attempted to block his daughter's euthanasia attempt, saying her borderline personality disorder had impacted her judgment.
An expert committee in Catalonia approved Noelia's euthanasia request in 2024, but the procedure was postponed following legal action by Castillo.
Noelia told Antena 3 her father 'told me I had no heart, that I didn’t think of others, that everything I said was a lie'.
It was confirmed last month that Noelia could be euthanized after Spain's Constitutional Court dismissed Castillo's appeal and said there had been 'no violation of fundamental rights'.
Carla Rodriguez, Noelia's childhood best friend, begged hospital staff to go and see her in a last-minute attempt to change her mind.
"I wanted to try to convince her to change her mind," she told Okdiario, who captured footage of the emotional incident.
"Noelia has been through so much — so very much," Rodriguez added.
The outlet noted the pair had lost touch in recent years, with Rodriguez having heard about Noelia's plans after hearing it on the news.
In the video, which has been shared on social media, Rodriguez appeared in tears as she stood pleading with hospital workers to let her see Noelia.
Castillo's representatives, Abogados Cristianos (Christian Lawyers), put out a statement late on Thursday that Noelia had died.
"Noelia has already undergone euthanasia," the statement began. "From Christian Lawyers, we deeply regret her death and denounce that this case highlights the serious shortcomings of the euthanasia law, which does not protect the most vulnerable people."
The statement continued: "We ask politicians to ensure that her story serves to drive urgent changes and prevent something like this from happening again. Thank you to everyone who has empathized with the family during these very difficult times.
"You can understand that her parents are devastated after years of trying to support her in her rehabilitation."
In 2021, Spain became the fourth European Union country to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide for specific people, if they meet certain criteria, which are:
For the request to go through, a doctor must review and approve it, alongside a second medical professional and an evaluation body.
Doctors are able to reject any request that doesn't meet the criteria, and reserve the right to withdraw from the euthanasia procedure on the grounds of 'conscience'.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org