Murder or Mercy Killing Case Has Ticos Divided

Although Costa Rica authorities on Wednesday decided to charge a former nurse's assistant with the murder of her friend and neighbour on Monday, the question of whether it was murder or a mercy killing has Ticos divided on the issue.



On Monday, Angela Barrantes Moreno, dressed in her old nurse assistant uniform and expired ID walked into the hospital San Juan de Dios, in downtown San José, made her way to Lillian Arias Prendas' hospital room and injected her with a lethal dose, causing death.

Witnesses say the two women had engaged in a "friendly" chat before the alert was raised and hospital security detained Barrantes and held her for police.

Up to last night, the question of whether it was murder or a mercy killing had not been resolved by authorities who were continuing the investigation.

The social media was abuzz with comments, divided between pros and cons on euthanasia.

"DO NOT KILL is one of the commandments", "Man does not have the power to take life of another person" and "Mercy Killing = Murder. It is against the law", were some of the comments against, while "the woman has guts, if she did it out of pity", "facing a situation like this (the victim had kidney failure, was diabetic and hypertense, among other problems), I hope to have friend like her", were some of the positive comments.

If the woman would have been charged with a mercy killing should would have faced a prison term of six months to three years. The murder charge has a maximum prison penalty of 20 to 35 years.

Investigators had to determine if the woman acted with the consent of the victim after she was found with an empty syringe in her hands and a vial of either potassium chloride or calcium gluconate. Authorities did not give details on the drug that was used to protect their investigation.

"Homicidio por piedad" has been in the law books for more than 42 years according to criminal lawyer and former Minister of Justice, Juan Diego Castro.

Hospital director, Daniel Quesada Rodríguez, told the press on Wednesday that Barrantes entered the hospital unnoticed with her expired hospital ID and dressed in proper hospital attire was not questioned as she moved about in the hospital and to her friend's room, part of a protocol that staff of other CCSS hospitals and clinics have free access at the San Juan de Dios.

Rodríguez said that the rules will now change as every CCSS employee, like visitors, will have their bags checked and must state their business at the hospital.

Meanwhile, the family of Lilliam Arias Prendas, who had been hospitalized chronic renal failure that kept her terminally ill, was also a diabetic and suffered from hypertension, among other medical problems, said Barranteshad no right to end her life, and would be suing the hospital.