Omayra Sanchez was a 13-year-old Colombian girl who became trapped in the debris of her collapsed home, which was caused by a mudslide from the eruption of a volcano in 1985.
Sanchez's legs were bent in a kneeling position and trapped under concrete. Her deceased aunt also had her arms wrapped tightly around the girl's legs.
The workers and volunteers realized there was no way to rescue the girl without severing her legs. They lacked the equipment to be able to save her from the effects of amputation, so the doctors decided that it would be more humane to let her die.
Sanchez lasted three days before succumbing to the likely effects of exposure.