A 25-YEAR-old woman who was gang-raped is due to die by euthanasia today after being left paralysed following a suicide attempt.
Noelia Castillo Ramos, from Barcelona, attempted to take her own life after suffering two separate sexual assaults.
Noelia Castillo Ramos has died by euthanasia after a protracted legal battleCredit: Antena 3
In an emotional final interview, Ramos said she now wants to “leave in peace” after years of suffering.
Ramos has received the go ahead from the European Court of despite her dad putting up a lengthy legal fight to stop the procedure.
According to her family, she was “relying on the Spanish mental healthcare system” before she was raped.
She was staying in a state-supervised centre for vulnerable youth in 2022 when she was horrifically gang-raped by three men.
The harrowing incident left her traumatised and drove her to make a suicide attempt – which left with a major spinal cord injury.
Ramos survived, but was left paralysed from the waist down and in chronic pain.
Her condition was deemed “serious, chronic and disabling” under ‘s landmark 2021 laws.
She is understood to have endured a difficult childhood and spent parts of her life in institutional care.
Her father, supported by conservative advocacy group Abogados Cristianos (Christian Lawyers), argued that his daughter’s mental health was affecting her ability to make a free and informed decision.
But the court ultimately decided that Noelia had the “full capacity to decide” whether to end her life by assisted dying.
Her mother, Yolanda who will join her during her final moments, said: “I do not agree, but I will always be by her side.”
Ramos is due to be sedated today and will receive an injection in her room at the Sant Pere de Ribes assisted living facility where she lives.
In a final interview, Noelia said: “None of my family is in favour of euthanasia.
“But I think, all the pain I’ve suffered over the years… I just want to leave in peace now and stop suffering, period.
“And a father’s, or a mother’s, or a sister’s happiness doesn’t have to come before a daughter’s happiness or sadness of a daughter’s life.”
In June 2021, Spain became the fourth country to legalise euthanasia and assisted suicide for people with incurable or severely debilitating conditions who wish to end their lives.
How to get help
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net , 0800 585 858
- Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
- HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk , 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org , 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org , 116 123
Spanish law states that applicants who are over 18-years-old with “chronic or invalidating suffering” can choose to receive assisted dying.
Government data shows that 426 people received assistance in dying in 2024.
Assisted dying is currently illegal in the UK under the Suicide Act 1961.
But a private members’ bill proposing to legalise euthanasia for terminally ill adults was introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater in October 2024.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed by a majority of 23 in the House of Commons last June.
But a lengthy list of amendments from the Lords – tallying up to over 1,000 – has put the bill at risk.
It will fail if it is not passed by the end of the parliamentary session in May.
What is euthanasia and why is it controversial?
EUTHANASIA, sometimes known as mercy killing, is the practice of intentionally ending someone’s life to relieve their pain and suffering.
The term comes from an ancient Greek phrase meaning “good death”.
Euthanasia is deliberately helping or encouraging someone to take their own life, for example by providing them with medicine to do so.
Euthanasia is a crime under English law, carrying a maximum penalty of life in jail, and assisted suicide 14 years.
The only exception is “passive euthanasia”, which is where treatment that might extend someone’s life is withdrawn – such as a life machine being turned off.
However recent debates over an Assisted Dying Bill have led to the bill being passed.
For terminally ill patients in the UK at the moment, the only alternatives are hospice care or refusing treatment, which mentally capable patients have the right to do.
As a result, some terminally ill people decide to travel abroad to die.
Euthanasia and dying is a controversial issue – with passionate campaigners on each side of the argument.
People who agree with euthanasia often argue that people should be allowed to die with dignity – and they should be able to decide when and how they die, and potentially save their loved ones the pain of seeing them suffer.
Some also believe death is private, and it’s not the state’s place to interfere if a person wants to die.
Those in favour of euthanasia also point out that we euthanise our pets as an act of kindness – and resources could be put towards people who want to live, or whose conditions are curable.
However, there are concerns that allowing euthanasia would give doctors too much power, and might even worsen care for the terminally ill and research into their illnesses.
Some also believe it goes against the job description of doctors and nurses and the oath they take to not harm patients – they also say it undermines the value of human life.
Others also worry about the possibility of someone potentially recovering, or changing their mind when it’s already too late.
Some have even suggested it could lead to people feeling pressured into asking to die, as they don’t want to be a burden upon those around them
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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