The sweet face of a girl with Down syndrome smiled down from building-sized banner ads debuting in Madrid, Spain last week. The ads were titled “Tranquility,” but the message has proved unsettling to those concerned with the sanctity of life.

Genoma, a Swiss biotechnology company, was using the girl to promote their latest “non-invasive” prenatal test for Down syndrome. They did this in a nation where already 95 percent of the babies with Down syndrome are aborted. Genoma insists their goal was to prepare parents for life with Down syndrome babies, but pro-life forces in Spain voiced skepticism.

Meanwhile, Matthew Hennessey of National Review condemned the ad’s “depravity,” noting, “This company selling a product that 95 percent of the time leads to the abortion of a child with Down syndrome has decided to pitch that product with … a picture of a child with Down Syndrome.”

Making matters worse, Genoma did not get permission from the girl’s parents to use her image.

Genoma has since apologized and taken the banners down. However, the wider issue of Spain’s comfort with abortion on demand remains.

Here’s Hennessey’s full analysis of the “Tranquility” advertisement: An Abortion-Friendly Firm in Spain Uses a Girl with Down Syndrome on Its Ads.