A mother of two died weeks after a fake doctor botched her butt implant removal in an illegal Queens clinic, the New York Post reported. María Paz Peñaloza, 31, sought the procedure in March at a home-based liposuction operation in Ditmars Steinway. Authorities confirmed she died on April 11 after doctors removed her from life support.
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Felipe Hoyos-Foronda, the unlicensed surgeon, injected lidocaine with a syringe, causing Peñaloza's cardiac arrest, a Queens Criminal Court complaint states. Prosecutors link her death to lidocaine toxicity. Lidocaine, though typically safe, can kill if misused or overdosed.
"We never imagined this would happen," Linney Peñaloza Cabrera, Peñaloza's 34-year-old sister, told the Daily News. "A friend who accompanied María called and said an ambulance took her, but she didn't realize the severity." Cabrera added, "María went there because a friend had a procedure and recommended him. Doctors fought to revive her for two and a half hours after the ambulance arrived."
Authorities Arrest Fake Surgeon
Hoyos-Foronda tried to escape to Colombia, but police caught him at JFK Airport. Port Authority officers traced his car's license plate to the Van Wyck Expressway, stopping him before he boarded a flight. He now faces charges of second-degree assault, a felony, and unauthorized practice of a profession, the complaint notes. The Queens District Attorney's Office has not said if charges will increase after Peñaloza's death.
Peñaloza's friend returned to the illegal clinic to collect her belongings, sources told The Post. The landlord revealed the tragedy, leading the friend to notify police. This tip helped authorities track and arrest Hoyos-Foronda quickly.
Community Grieves Tragic Loss
A friend's recommendation led Peñaloza to the clinic, Cabrera explained. The friend had undergone a procedure there and endorsed the fake doctor. Tragically, the failed surgery left Peñaloza brain-dead, and medical efforts could not save her.
The clinic operated illegally in a residential home, sparking alarm about unregulated medical practices. Investigators continue to probe the operation's details. Meanwhile, Peñaloza's family mourns the loss of a loving mother.
"This tragedy devastates María's family and our community," a local resident told reporters, echoing widespread shock. As authorities investigate, officials urge everyone to check medical providers' credentials to avoid such heartbreak.
