“We are also aware of reports that Ms. Castillo expressed hesitancy to undergo euthanasia in her final hours, but that these indications were ignored.”
The Trump administration is set to investigate the euthanasia death of 25-year-old Noelia Castillo, who was a sexual-assault survivor. After she was placed in a group home as a teenager she was gang raped by African migrants, leading her to try to take her own life by jumping from a building. She ended up paralyzed and eventually sought suicide. Her family tried to stop her and when that failed they took legal action.
The State Department directed the US Embassy in Madrid to probe how Spanish law enforcement handled repeated sexual attacks against Castillo before her death, according to a report from the New York Post citing a leaked diplomatic cable. “We are deeply concerned by allegations that Ms. Castillo was repeatedly sexually assaulted while under state care and that no perpetrators have been brought to justice,” the cable read.
“We are also aware of reports that Ms. Castillo expressed hesitancy to undergo euthanasia in her final hours, but that these indications were ignored,” the cable added. “This case raises serious concerns about the application of Spain’s euthanasia law, particularly in cases involving psychiatric conditions and non-terminal suffering.”