A woman who supposedly wanted a curvier body for cheap allegedly paid a woman posing as a doctor to inject her buttocks with cement, mineral oil and flat-tire sealant.
According to police, the suspect was born a man and identifies as a woman. She is accused of performing this toxic procedure on herself and at least one other.
The 30-year-old was arrested Friday and charged with practicing medicine without a license with serious bodily injury. She has since been released on bond.
Police investigators say the woman has supposedly been on the lam for a year, driving a black Mercedes and residing at various locations. An officer allegedly drove by one possible home for the woman nearly every day on his way to work, and apparently spotted the Mercedes parked outside on Friday which lead to the woman’s arrest.
The alleged victim told officers she paid $700 for a series of injections to her bottom in May 2010. She was apparently referred to the woman by a friend.
The woman was supposedly treated at two south Florida hospitals for severe abdominal pain and infected sores on her buttocks along with flu-like symptoms. According to reports, she failed to tell doctors the full story behind her sickness because she was embarrassed.
The woman’s mother apparently took her to a Florida hospital on the west coast, where doctors were supposedly told about the alleged procedure. The Department of Health was notified.
The woman claims she is still recovering from the surgery and is in too much pain to work.
Florida’s state laws require that medical procedures be performed only by licensed professionals. When a person performs a medical procedure without a license that causes serious bodily injury to another, they can ultimately be charged with a second-degree felony punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison. Anyone that engages in the illegal practice of medicine can be subject to various criminal consequences that have the potential to generate civil lawsuits depending on the facts associated with the medical matter. It is important to be aware that manslaughter can be charged if someone dies from an unlicensed medical procedure.
Practicing medicine without a license can cover a broad range of activity, but commonly criminal charges erupt from the following:
• Applying “M.D.”, “D.O.” or any other abbreviations that may indicate a person is a licensed professional for the purposes of treating a patient
• Prescribing medication to patients without a license to do so
• Medically diagnosing someone
• Delivering medical treatment to someone without holding a proper medical license
• Providing a medical examination without the necessary medical license required to give the examination
• A physician who practices medicine not covered by the license the physician possesses
• A former physician that continues to practice medicine after their license has been revoked
It is essential to consult with a Florida Criminal Defense Attorney immediately when facing charges associated with the illegal practice of medicine. These charges can negatively impact your life severely if not handled properly. The Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can best advise you of your rights while simultaneously putting forth the best defense unique to your specific charges.
If you have been accused of practicing medicine without a license anywhere in the state of Florida, contact the Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys at the Law Offices of Whittel & Melton, LLC online or reach us statewide and toll-free at 1-866-608-5LAW (5529).