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Spanish Woman, 25, Dies by Euthanasia After Courts Uphold Her Choice

The ruling caps a two‑year fight that affirmed patient autonomy over family objections under Spain’s 2021 euthanasia law.

Overview

  • Castillo, who received the injection Thursday in Barcelona, died at the Sant Camil residence after a 15–30 minute procedure, and by her request no relatives were in the room.
  • Her father’s bids to halt the case were rejected by judges in Catalonia, by Spain’s Supreme and Constitutional Courts, and by the European Court of Human Rights earlier this month.
  • Doctors used Spain’s standard IV regimen, first giving midazolam for sedation, then propofol to induce coma, followed by a neuromuscular blocker after confirming loss of consciousness.
  • Catalonia’s review commission approved her request in 2024, finding irreversible paraplegia, constant neuropathic pain, and severe dependence that followed a 2022 sexual assault and suicide attempt.
  • The case reignited a wider policy fight, drawing opposition from Abogados Cristianos and support from right‑to‑die advocates, and it was cited in Argentina as lawmakers revived a stalled euthanasia bill.