Euthanasia gang rape victim’s friend turned away in heartbreaking moment

Gang rape victim Noelia Castillo Ramos, 25, died via a euthanasia procedure in a case that would ignite debate around assisted dying in Spain and across the world

This is the moment a woman claiming to be a friend of gang rape victim Noelia Castillo Ramos was denied entry to a hospital after she tried to stop the euthanasia procedure.

Carla Rodriguez arrived an hour before Noelia would undergo the assisted dying procedure on Thursday, ending her life. But she was blocked by security guards and did not get to meet Noelia ahead of the procedure.

Teary-eyed Carla joined many other demonstrators outside the hospital in Catalonia, Spain, with police holding her at bay. She told reporters outside: ” wanted to try and convince her to change her mind.”

Carla told Okdiario she raced over to the hospital after learning about Noelia’s decision to go through with the procedure. She added: “Noelia has been through so much – so very much.”

She claimed to have grown up with Noelia and that they had gone to school together at Santa Eulalia before they lost touch. Carla said they lost contact “when Noelia was transferred to a different care facility.”

She then handed a handwritten letter for Noelia’s mum, stating she was outside and ready to go home with the young woman. Noelia ultimately died after she received three injections at the hospital.

The 25-year-old said she had been sexually abused multiple times, including by three males in the last case in 2022. She intentionally fell from the fifth floor of a building in August that year but survived.

She told a panel who would consult on her euthanasia that she had been left in incredible pain and was heavily medicating to cope. Her father challenged the decision, delaying it by 18 months – although there is no evidence that Noelia changed her mind during that time.

Noelia’s mum, Yolanda, stayed by her side even though she was firmly against her decision. “I’ve been praying and thinking… hoping that at the last moment she’ll say ‘I regret it’,” she said. But Noelia said she wanted to “rest” after living in regular pain.

Before her death, Noelia said: “I want to go now and stop suffering, period. I don’t feel like doing anything: not going out, not eating. Sleeping is very difficult, and I have back and leg pain.”

She also revealed how she wanted to spend her final moments. Noelia continued: “I’ve always thought I want to die looking good. I’ll wear my prettiest dress and put on makeup; it will be something simple.” Assisted dying was made legal in Spain in 2021 for people who liv with “chronic or invalidating” conditions.