Noelia Castillo Interview Before Euthanasia Sparks Misinformation About Her Life

In the final hours before receiving euthanasia, Noelia Castillo’s television appearance has ignited intense public debate across Spain, with social media awash in conflicting narratives about her case. The 23-year-old woman, who became paraplegic following a suicide attempt in 2022, shared her story on Antena 3’s “Y ahora Sonsoles” program, explaining her decision to pursue legal assisted dying.

The interview quickly sparked widespread online discussion, with numerous claims about Castillo’s background circulating that contradict official documentation and medical records.

Among the most persistent allegations is that Castillo suffered a sexual assault by unaccompanied foreign minors while under the guardianship of the Generalitat’s social services. This claim gained traction after being amplified by several prominent social media accounts. However, the Directorate-General for the Prevention and Protection of Children and Adolescents has confirmed no such incident was ever documented during her time in residential care between 2015 and 2019.

During her television appearance, Castillo did describe three separate assault incidents, but these differed significantly from the viral claims. She spoke of abuse by a long-term romantic partner, an attempted assault by two men at a nightclub, and a third incident involving three individuals at another venue. According to her account, this final assault occurred shortly before her suicide attempt on October 4, 2022.

Another controversial claim spreading online suggests this case represents Spain’s first approval of euthanasia for depression. Medical records tell a different story. The authorization for assisted dying was granted based on the physical consequences of Castillo’s paraplegia and associated suffering, not mental health conditions.

While psychiatric assessments did note chronic depressive symptoms and an adjustment disorder with anxiety, specialists ruled out any major depressive disorder that would impair her capacity to make decisions. Diagnoses of obsessive-compulsive disorder and borderline personality disorder were also documented, but these were not the basis for the euthanasia approval.

Catalonia’s Guarantee and Evaluation Commission authorized the procedure on July 18, 2024, after determining that Castillo faced an irreversible clinical condition involving severe dependency, chronic pain and suffering that significantly compromised her autonomy. This decision came after a prolonged legal process lasting nearly two years, initiated when her father challenged her decision-making capacity in court.

Following Castillo’s television appearance, some viewers questioned the severity of her physical condition, noting that she appeared capable of certain activities with assistance. Her medical records, however, paint a more complete picture of her limitations.

The documentation describes a complete spinal cord injury at the L3 level that resulted in paraplegia, neuropathic pain, sensory impairment, faecal incontinence, and the need for urinary catheterization every six hours. While she could use a wheelchair, her ability to walk was extremely limited, confined to specially adapted indoor environments.

Medical professionals classified these conditions as permanent and irreversible. Following her injury, Castillo received treatment at Tarragona’s Joan XXIII Hospital before transferring to the Guttmann Clinic, where she underwent intensive neurorehabilitation until June 2023. Ten months after completing rehabilitation, she applied for the assisted dying procedure.

In her court testimony, Castillo described constant physical pain and significant daily life limitations. Medical authorities determined her suffering was persistent and not amenable to meaningful functional improvement, leading to the approval of euthanasia under Spain’s current legal framework.

The case has become a flashpoint in Spain’s ongoing national conversation about end-of-life decisions, medical ethics, and the spread of misinformation during emotionally charged public debates.