Haunting message received by US woman in Sarco 'suicide pod': "If you want to die…"

For the first time, an American woman reportedly took her own life inside a 3D-printed “suicide pod” called Sarco, located in a forest cabin in Merishausen, Switzerland. The 64-year-old woman, whose identity has not been made public, entered the Sarco pod on Monday. According to a report by AFP, the machine allegedly prompted her with a chilling message before her final moments: “If you want to die, press this button.”

Swiss police have arrested several individuals following the first use of a controversial futuristic capsule designed to facilitate suicide, authorities announced on Tuesday.

Police in the northern canton of Schaffhausen, near the German border, reported that the "Sarco" capsule was used in a wooded area of the municipality of Merishausen on Monday.

Prosecutors in Schaffhausen have initiated criminal proceedings against several people for "inducing and aiding and abetting suicide," with multiple detentions made, though no further details were provided about those involved or the deceased.

A spokesperson for the group behind the capsule, The Last Resort, confirmed the deceased was a 64-year-old American woman suffering from a severely compromised immune system.

Florian Willet, co-president of The Last Resort, was one of the four detained, alongside a Dutch journalist and two Swiss nationals, according to the spokesperson. Willet was the only other person present when the woman took her life.

In a statement from The Last Resort, Willet described the death as “peaceful, fast and dignified.”

The spokesperson for The Last Resort added that the woman had undergone psychiatric evaluations before choosing to end her life.

A spokesperson for prosecutors in Schaffhausen declined to provide details or confirm that four individuals were detained.

Designed with sleek, aerodynamic features, the "Sarco" causes death by releasing nitrogen gas, reducing oxygen levels to fatal amounts. It was created by Philip Nitschke, an Australian physician renowned for his advocacy of assisted suicide since the 1990s.

Switzerland has long been a destination for those seeking assisted suicide due to its legal framework, and The Last Resort claims its legal advice indicated the capsule could be used lawfully.

The device has sparked significant media coverage and prompted discussions among authorities about its permissibility.

Swiss health minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider stated on Monday that the capsule does not comply with product safety laws and that its use of nitrogen is legally non-compliant.