A husband says his family is shattered after his wife died following complications during a cosmetic procedure. An attorney representing the family says her death is one of two linked to the same clinic in just weeks.
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“Why her? A young woman, just 35 years old?” asked her husband, Jefferson Carrasco. “It was supposed to be her birthday present.”
For her birthday, Kenly Millan Aponte traveled to South Florida from Kentucky to undergo a cosmetic surgery at a clinic called Svelta Plastic Surgery on Southwest 8th Street, according to Carrasco. He shared video of his wife arriving at the clinic for her procedures and provided paperwork from Svelta that lists what she was having done.
“I received a call from the clinic telling me that she had complications, that her oxygen saturation dropped, and that they were taking her to the hospital. When she arrived at the hospital, my wife had already died,” he said. Millan leaves behind two daughters.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Millan died April 29 and says the cause and manner of her death remain under investigation. According to attorney Jorge Silva, who is representing Millan’s family, she was undergoing procedures commonly referred to as a “mommy makeover,” including liposuction and breast surgery.
“And in the midst of that procedure, she had a horrible, horrible outcome and ultimately succumbed, despite being transported to a local hospital,” Silva said.
Silva says that just this week, a 19-year-old from Tennessee, Endrys Martinez, also died after complications at the same clinic.
“Endrys Martinez went to undergo a rhinoplasty,” Silva explained.
He says his office is representing both families.
NBC6 also spoke with Dr. Steven Rosenberg, former chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine. He is not involved in either case but says understanding what happened is critical.
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“The real question is, what were the circumstances?” said Rosenberg, “Were these anesthesia-related? Were they surgical complications…There are quite a few variables, all of which need to be evaluated carefully.”
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office confirmed it has opened an investigation into Millan’s death, as her family tries to process their loss and the void she leaves behind.
“My older daughter’s graduation is coming up, and she won’t be there,” Carrasco said while fighting back tears. Earlier this week, NBC6 went to Svelta, where both patients allegedly went for their procedures. Staff told us they had no knowledge of the deaths. Calls to the clinic, its owner and attorneys who have represented the facility were not returned prior to publication.
After the story aired, Svelta Plastic Surgery sent a statement to NBC6, writing in part:
“Svelta Plastic Surgery is aware of the recent reports circulating in the media and on social media platforms regarding our practice. We take these matters with the utmost seriousness and share the public’s desire to understand and address what is being reported in the news. First and foremost, we extend our deepest condolences to the families affected during this painful time. We want to be transparent with the public: the information currently being reported does not fully or accurately reflect the facts of what occurred. Every patient under the care of Svelta’s plastic surgeons is important to us. That is why we are gathering information to conduct an analysis of the true causes, so that we may better understand these outcomes. We are doing this out of respect for the families involved and to ensure that Svelta provides the safest possible environment for plastic surgery patients.
In compliance with patient privacy laws (HIPAA), Svelta cannot comment on the individual outcomes of plastic surgery patients. Likewise, Svelta believes the investigative process serves an important purpose. We are fully cooperating with the appropriate authorities and are committed to a thorough and transparent process.
Svelta aims to play a constructive role in clarifying the truth surrounding these incidents, and we respectfully ask the public to refrain from making judgments until all facts have been properly reviewed and presented.”
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