According to her sister, Maxine David, Alexandra Medina was unhappy with her appearance, and asked doctors in the U.S. about undergoing liposuction. First published on July 9, 2019 / 9:46 PM. "There are reasonable facilities in Europe, South America, et cetera, but they are usually subject to the same set of criteria we have here," Manhattan plastic surgeon Dr. Henry Spinelli told CBS New York. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Terms of Use Subscriber Alicia Williams, a ninth grade English teacher at Huffman High School in Birmingham, Alabama, died on June 7, family members told WBRC. Live Updates: U.S. reports more than 60,000 new COVID-19 cases, Pope endorses same-sex civil unions for first time as pontiff, OxyContin maker to plead guilty to 3 criminal charges, Trump walks out of "60 Minutes" interview, Human remains found at site linked to Tulsa Race Massacre, Watch live: Obama holds first in-person campaign event in Philadelphia, Watch live: Mass. We've received your submission. Williams' sister has organized a Facebook fundraiser in hopes of bringing back her sister's body from the island nation, and raise money for Williams' 14-year-old son. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Your California Privacy Rights “She was very pretty … I can’t believe this. We'll do it.' During liposuction at a Santo Domingo clinic Friday, Medina died on the operating table, allegedly from a blood clot. The Doctor Urenea Arias clinic didn’t immediately return a request for comment. She scheduled an appointment with Dr. Felix Almanzar for Thursday morning, but her family became concerned when they didn’t hear from her later in the day, according to the news outlet. This story has been shared 379,474 times. The Ministry of Health announced that it’s opened an investigation into the clinic. However, she was apparently told that she needed to lose weight before getting the surgery. "The thing about the Dominican Republic that is a little different than Miami and Columbia and Tawana and some of the other places where bad things tend to happen, is that even the women who don't die, a lot of women come back and get really horrific infections that are difficult to clear," Bennett said. An Alabama high school teacher died in the Dominican Republic after facing complications from a cosmetic procedure she received while in the country. Thanks for contacting us. The 45-year-old woman had gone town to the Dominican Republic on to have an undisclosed cosmetic procedure on June 2. Medina leaves behind a partner and a 14-year-old son, who lived with her at a New Rochelle home, neighbors said. A Westchester mom died while getting a tummy tuck at a medical clinic in the Dominican Republic — just weeks after an Alabama teacher passed away while undergoing surgery at … since. The 45-year-old woman had gone town to the Dominican Republic on to have an undisclosed cosmetic procedure on June 2. Her death comes after an Alabama teacher died last month at the clinic, which was briefly shuttered by the Ministry of Public Health, according to Noticias Sin. We can handle it. Watch live: Mass. The family later learned that Medina suffered fatal complications during the tummy tuck — with her preliminary cause of death ruled an embolism, Noticias Sin reported. A Westchester mom died while getting a tummy tuck at a medical clinic in the Dominican Republic — just weeks after an Alabama teacher passed away while undergoing surgery at the same facility, according to local reports Tuesday. governor on precautions before Halloween, Threatening emails sent to Florida voters linked to overseas servers, Hundreds of parents separated from kids at border "unreachable", Battleground Tracker: Latest polls, state of the race and more, 5 things to know about CBS News' 2020 Battleground Tracker, CBS News coverage of voting rights issues. How do I vote in my state in the 2020 election? This story has been shared 379,474 times. 168,923, © 2020 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved Privacy Notice "This doctor was like, 'No problem. What happens if the president doesn't accept the election results? The Dominican Republic was named the place a US tourist is most likely to incur complications from plastic surgery, according to a report from the Brigham and Women's Hospital-Harvard Medical School and Boston University of Public Health published last year year. What is ballot harvesting — and should you hand your ballot to a stranger? In 2016, US health officials issued a warning about "medical tourism" after at least 18 women were infected by disfiguring bacteria after undergoing plastic surgery procedures in the Dominican Republic. A mother from New Rochelle, New York, died while undergoing plastic surgery in the Dominican Republic, CBS New York reports. Be in the know. After the procedure, she suffered complications, including blood clots. governor on precautions in Salem before Halloween, Cuomo redraws COVID-19 hot zones as infection rates improve, Ireland is first EU country to return to coronavirus lockdown, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning. This story has been shared 218,136 times. Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories, Brigham and Women's Hospital-Harvard Medical School and Boston University of Public Health published last year year, The State Department says there hasn't actually been an 'uptick' in US citizen deaths in the Dominican Republic, A British couple believes they were poisoned at the same Dominican Republic hotel where 4 Americans died in the last year, Steve Harvey's Dominican Republic jazz festival is moving out of the country amid concerns about recent US tourist deaths, Shooting of former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was the result of mistaken identity, Dominican official says, 14 suspicious cases of tourists getting sick, assaulted, and dying in the Dominican Republic in the past year. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. The infections, caused by a germ called mycobacteria, led to women being hospitalized and forced to take antibiotics for months, the CDC said at the time, according to CBS News. It remains unclear where the procedure was performed. Her sister says Medina contacted a Dominican doctor through Facebook, who said the surgery wouldn't be an issue. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning about the dangers of "medical tourism" after at least 18 women from the East Coast became infected with a disfiguring bacteria following plastic surgery procedures they had in the Dominican Republic. And it was obviously also cheaper," David said. It seems Washington Football Team has chosen name for next season, Fauci quotes 'The Godfather' in response to Trump criticisms, Photo shows Joe Biden meeting Hunter's alleged business partner from Kazakhstan, Alleged child rapist flees hospital after learning victim, 11, is pregnant, Married father of 3 wears skirts, heels to work because 'he can'. Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. I’m shocked,” a neighbor, who declined to provide his name, told The Post on Tuesday. Williams' family friend, Georgia-based plastic surgeon Myla Bennett, told KRON 4 that the Dominican Republic can be a dangerous place to get plastic surgery done. Alicia Williams, a ninth grade English teacher at Huffman High School in Birmingham, Alabama, died on June 7. Medina’s loved ones launched a Facebook group to call for justice for her. Cedeño is one of 12 known cases of New Yorkers who have died from plastic surgery procedures in the Dominican Republic in the last six years. The Dominican Health Minister apparently told David a full review will take place, but she is concerned they will sweep it under the rug. I feel I’ve lost my soul, like if it was being stripped out of my body,” her mother, Kanny Toro, told Univision. 218,136, This story has been shared 168,923 times. More than 700,000 Dominicans live in … Looking for smart ways to get more from life? Sitemap David said she will remember her sister as a "savvy, smart, vibrant and passionate" woman whose cheap surgery came at a terrible cost. Read more: The State Department says there hasn't actually been an 'uptick' in US citizen deaths in the Dominican Republic. She is the third American to die in a month during a cosmetic operation in the Caribbean nation. Altagracia Díaz died Thursday during plastic surgery in the Dominican Republic +8 Dr. Héctor Cabral was overseeing the surgery of a woman who died during the procedure at a … Subscribe to our daily newsletter to get more of it. Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. With more mail-in ballots, officials urge patience on election night, Americans and the right to vote: Why it's not easy for everyone, Why some mail-in ballots are rejected and how to make sure your vote counts. Family members told WBRC that Williams suffered complications, including blood clots, after the procedure, and died. 'Struggling' bar owner in Biden ad is actually wealthy 'angel investor', Brooke Shields wears a bikini to prove ‘women over 50 are not done’, ‘RHOBH’ stars Erika Jayne and Dorit Kemsley twin in Alexander Wang, Shop celebrity-loved Leset basics in Net-a-Porter’s Friends and Family Sale, Steve Bing asked friend to help him kill himself before suicide: report, Shonda Rhimes ditched ABC over a Disneyland pass, © 2020 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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