American woman’s death in suicide capsule leads to arrests in Switzerland

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The death of an American woman in an assisted suicide capsule has led to criminal proceedings being launched against several people in Switzerland.

The 64-year-old woman from the Midwest died Monday, in the “Sarco” device on Monday evening, according to The Last Resort, the company which developed and manages the machine.

She died under the canopy of trees at a private forest retreat in the Canton of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland, it said in a statement, adding that she “had been suffering for many years from a number of serious problems associated with severe immune compromise.”

The company did not name the woman who died, nor did Schaffhausen Police, which said in a statement Tuesday that prosecutors had opened criminal proceedings against “several people for incitement and aiding and abetting suicide.”

The statement said the force had been notified of an assisted suicide within an hour of it taking place. The capsule was recovered and the body was taken to the forensic institute for an autopsy, the statement added.

Police did not release the identities of those arrested and the force declined a request for further comment when approached by NBC News.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Bern said, “We are aware of reports of the death of a U.S. citizen in Switzerland. Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time, we have no further comment at this time.”

The woman died in a purple and white capsule, bearing a quote from Carl Sagan, “We are made of star stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”

The person inside the capsule presses a button to activate the device and “death follows peacefully a few minutes later,” The Last Resort says on its website.

The device is the brainchild of Philip Nitschke, an Australian physician famous for his work on assisted suicide since the 1990s.

In the company’s statement, Nitschke was quoted as saying that he was “pleased that the Sarco had performed exactly as it had been designed to do.”

While euthanasia remains illegal, assisted suicide, as long as done without a selfish motive, is allowed under Swiss law which has led to the opening of several assisted suicide clinics in the country.

In 2022, French-Swiss filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard died at his home in Switzerland after an assisted suicide. 

The Last Resort describes itself as “altruistic,” on its website. While use of the capsule is free, it says there are some costs associated with using the machine and removal of the body afterwards.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.