Woman who underwent botched cosmetic surgery by fake NYC doctor has died, police say
A GoFundMe created by the woman's family revealed that doctors disconnected her on April 11.
A woman who underwent a botched cosmetic surgery by a man posing as a doctor in New York City has died, police said.
According to a spokesperson from the New York Police Department, the office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the victim's cause of death. She was identified by WABC and the New York Daily News as Maria Penaloza Cabrera.
The woman's death comes weeks after Felipe Hoyos-Foronda, 38, was taken into custody on March 28. He is accused of "performing medical procedures without a license," causing severe injuries, the spokesperson added.
Hoyos-Foronda was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport while allegedly attempting to flee by taking a connecting flight to Colombia. He was charged with second-degree assault and unauthorized practice of a profession.
Victim had no brain activity after botched procedure
According to an internal police report obtained by The New York Times, the woman visited Hoyos-Foronda’s home on 35th Street in Queens between 1 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. on March 28 to have "butt lift implants removed."
Once there, a police detective wrote in the report that Hoyos-Foronda administered lidocaine to the woman through a syringe, causing her to go into cardiac arrest. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that stops pain by blocking the signals at the nerve endings in the skin, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The woman was then taken to a hospital where, the detective wrote, a doctor told police she was intubated, had no brain activity, and was "not likely to survive.”
Hoyos-Foronda promoted cosmetic surgery services on social media sites, including TikTok. His page, which appears to have been deleted, advertised prices for procedures including Botox and more. It also included videos and photos of people undergoing a slew of procedures, according to the police report.
Officials reportedly reexamining Hoyos-Foronda's charges
The Queens District Attorney's Office told the New York Daily News that they are reexamining Hoyos-Foronda's charges as an investigation continues.
According to the outlet, Penaloza Cabrera of Colombia had two young children.
A GoFundMe created by her family revealed that doctors disconnected her on April 11. The fundraiser has raised just over $6,200 to help her family members in Colombia travel to the U.S. to say their final goodbyes.
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected].