A young police officer from New Orleans has sadly died just days after undergoing a Brazilian butt lift (BBL), a popular cosmetic surgery known for its risks.
Her name was Wildelis Rosa, a 26-year-old woman who also served in the US Army Reserves. She had just returned from her military duties in Kuwait. In March, she traveled to Miami, telling her family she was going to celebrate her birthday. But secretly, she planned to have cosmetic surgery.
On March 19, Rosa visited Prestige Plastic Surgery Clinic in South Florida for blood tests. The next day, doctors removed fat from 12 parts of her body and injected it into her buttocks.
She paid $7,495 for the BBL, a cost that falls within Miami’s cheaper price range for the procedure. In the US, BBLs typically cost between $6,000 and $18,000, but many people go to Miami for its lower prices.
However, her family had a bad feeling something was wrong. Her sister, Anamin Vazquez, recalled texting her on her birthday but never getting a reply.
The following morning, on March 23, Rosa collapsed in the bathroom. A friend staying with her tried CPR, but it was too late—Rosa had already passed away.
An autopsy later revealed she died from a pulmonary embolism. This happens when blood clots block the lungs, and it was linked to the surgery.
The same friend told the medical examiner that Rosa had gone for a follow-up visit after the surgery and complained of extreme pain. At their rented place, she was also having breathing problems and her blood pressure was dangerously low.
The day before she died, Rosa showed more signs of trouble. Her skin looked pale, her pupils were wide, her lips turned purple, and she told her friend she couldn’t feel her legs or feet.
She even texted another friend that night, saying her blood pressure was low and she had circulation problems.
Her sister believes Rosa’s death could have been avoided if those warning signs were taken seriously.
“It’s hard to live with because she didn’t have to die like that,” Vazquez said. Rosa was the youngest of five siblings and had dreams of joining the FBI.
Sadly, her case is not the only one. Rosa’s death adds to the growing list of women who have died in Miami after cosmetic surgeries. Over the last three and a half years, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office has reported 25 deaths caused by plastic surgery complications at different clinics and by different doctors.
