A Father's Fight Against Euthanasia: Legal Battle after Daughters Request

In a poignant legal battle, a father from Barcelona is striving to prevent his 25-year-old daughter, Noelia, who is living with paraplegia, from undergoing euthanasia. His struggle takes place amidst a complex judicial landscape, as he seeks to halt the process until the justice system addresses the fundamental issues at stake. This latest endeavor follows the Supreme Court's rejection of his appeal against the decision permitting his daughter's assisted death. The father has turned to the Constitutional Court, requesting precautionary measures to suspend the euthanasia process, which aligns with his ongoing efforts since a ruling from the Guarantee and Evaluation Commission of Catalonia on July 18, 2024, which authorized Noelia's euthanasia. Notably, the courts involved in this matter have consistently concluded that Noelia's capacity to make decisions regarding her own life has not been sufficiently questioned in a legal context. The Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia determined in its September 2025 ruling that her capacity to consent had been established. It noted that her request for euthanasia, made firmly in April 2024, did not reflect a lack of capacity. The ultra-Catholic law firm, Abogados Cristianos, representing the father, has taken steps to submit an urgent appeal to the Constitutional Court. The appeal highlights the father's belief that allowing euthanasia under these circumstances could inflict irreparable harm. Throughout the judicial process, concerns have emerged about Noelia's mental health. The father has contested that she suffers from serious psychiatric disorders that undermine her ability to make a conscious and free decision regarding her euthanasia request. Despite these assertions, courts have found insufficient evidence substantiating claims that Noelia lacks the necessary capacity due to her psychiatric history. Instead, the findings indicated that her condition had been carefully evaluated, ensuring that all procedural guarantees were met before granting the request for euthanasia. In a further twist to this legal saga, the father maintained that Noelia's alleged psychiatric conditions, including borderline personality disorder and suicidal ideations, compromise her decision-making abilities concerning her own death. He expressed his concerns about the implications of her mental health on the process, arguing that serious and incurable illnesses must be proven before euthanasia can be sanctioned. As the father navigates this tumultuous legal terrain, he remains determined to assert his daughter's rights while grappling with his own personal anguish as a parent. He believes that the conversation surrounding euthanasia, particularly when mental health is involved, necessitates deeper exploration and consideration. The outcome of this case is poised to raise critical questions about autonomy, mental health, and the ethical dimensions of assisted death in contemporary society, as the father's quest for justice continues. With the argument pushed to the Constitutional Court, the future of Noelia's request hangs in the balance while her father's fight for her life endures. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2