‘Strangulation marks’ found after assisted suicide pod fails

Swiss authorities are investigating the death of a terminally ill American woman after she was reportedly found with unexplained strangulation marks, having attempted to use new assisted suicide technology.

The 64-year-old woman was the first to use the controversial 'Sarco suicide pod,' which uses nitrogen gas to induce unconsciousness before suffocating the user to death.

Dr Florian Willet, founder of The Last Resort clinic where the death took place, described it as “peaceful, fast and dignified", and advocates for Assisted Suicide legislation often argue that it saves people from pain and suffering.

However, reports suggest that during the process, the machine failed due to a technical difficulty. Willet was allegedly heard saying to his colleague over video call "She's still alive, Philip", six and a half minutes after the woman had pressed the button to end her own life.

After her death, a Forensic doctor present at the scene told courts that the woman had, among other things, severe injuries to her neck.

The pod’s usage had already been deemed illegal in Switzerland, and the chief prosecutor commented, “We warned them in writing, we said that if they came to Schaffhausen and used Sarco, they would face criminal consequences.”

Willet, who was the only person in the room with her, is currently being detained while the criminal investigation into the pod is ongoing.