A surgeon from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been arrested after a buttock procedure resulted in 28-year-old Marilha Menezes Antunes losing her life.
Marilha passed away on September 8 after a liposuction with a buttock lift, according to a report by local outlet G1.
The medical examiner’s report revealed a perforated kidney and internal bleeding.
José Emílio de Brito is facing at least 14 legal proceedings and has already been convicted of manslaughter in a previous case.
The surgeon had rented a room at the Amacor clinic in Campo Grande to perform the procedure. The clinic has since been shut down after investigators found it contained expired medications and lacked adequate facilities.
Image credits: Instagram/marilhamenezes
José Emílio was responsible for the liposuction surgery that resulted in the passing of another patient in 2008. For that case, the doctor was sentenced in 2018 to two years and four months in prison for manslaughter. The sentence was later commuted to community service and a fine.
In 2021, José Emílio was arrested by Consumer Protection Police (DECON) officers after irregularities were reported at a clinic where he worked. According to police, he attempted to bribe the officers at the time. The case is still ongoing, as per G1.
Image credits: Instagram/marilhamenezes
The doctor, who has been a plastic surgeon since 1976, reportedly contacted patients via social media and analyzed photos sent by his nursing assistant. The first time he saw his patients in person was the day of the surgery.
Furthermore, according to reports, José Emílio administered the anesthesia himself during the procedures.
Four of José Emílio’s former patients have been subpoenaed to testify in the latest case. Many report feeling embarrassed about speaking out, having experienced botched procedures while seeking to improve their self-esteem.
The 28-year-old’s surgeon, José Emílio de Brito, has been arrested
Image credits: G1
Emergency Medical Services members, a former patient, and the victim’s father and sister were all interviewed as part of the investigation.
“I’m very emotional, it’s been a week today,” said Léa Caroline Menezes, Marilha’s sister, after the arrest. “Wherever she is, let her know that justice will be served. And he won’t k*ll anyone else.”
According to the sister, the surgeon tried to revive Marilha after the kidney perforation instead of transferring the 28-year-old to a larger hospital.
Image credits: G1
“He had my sister’s life in his hands. And instead of realizing that we were racing against time and trying to transfer her to a bigger hospital, or really facing the truth that we needed to get out of that operating room, he continued resuscitating her for 90 minutes,” said Léa.
When the resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, Léa called Emergency Medical Services. However, by the time they arrived, Marilha had succumbed to her injuries.
Marilha’s family paid tribute to the late mother when they appeared to testify at the Consumer Police Station, wearing T-shirts with her photo and name.
The surgeon was facing over 10 lawsuits and had previously been convicted of manslaughter
Image credits: G1
“This doctor was recommended by a coworker from Campo Grande,” the sister said, adding that Marilha had done her research and felt confident about the surgery.
“I asked if she was sure, and she said yes. She turned 28 on the 1st and took time off to have the surgery,” she added. According to Jovem Pan, the surgery cost approximately R$ 5,000 ($945).
A young woman who had been treated at the Amacor clinic shortly before the tragedy testified that her surgery began before the anesthesia took effect, resulting in an extremely painful procedure.
“He was forcing, forcing, forcing, and I was screaming, screaming, and thinking about (Marilha) Menezes, without being able to see her at any moment. Then, I said, ‘In a little more time you’re going to pierce me,'” expressed the patient, who chose not to reveal her name.
Image credits: Instagram/marilhamenezes
The woman said she tried to warn Marilha against undergoing the procedure at the clinic but was unable to speak to her.
On Monday (September 15), the same day José Emílio was arrested, five procedures were scheduled at the clinic. The doctor had rented the space for 12 hours.
After the arrest, the clinic issued a statement, saying, “The clinic deeply regrets the patient’s d*ath and expresses its solidarity with the family at this time of grief.
“We would like to clarify that the physician responsible for the procedure was working independently, having merely rented the surgical center.
“Prior to the rental, his credentials were verified with the CRM/CREMERJ (Regional Medical Council) and they were found to be in order.”
Authorities have shut down the clinic where he rented a room to perform his surgeries
Image credits: G1
The clinic clarified that they didn’t provide medications or supplies for the procedure that took Marilha’s life, saying that those were “the exclusive responsibility of the doctor who rented the space.”
Additionally, Amacor stated that the institution had recently been inspected by Anvisa, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency, and obtained a “favorable report attesting to its compliance with current health regulations.”
They added, “The clinic does not have any corporate or partnership relationship with the aforementioned doctor and continues to fully cooperate with the authorities to fully clarify the case. We reaffirm our commitment to ethics, legality and, above all, the safety of our patients.”
Image credits: Instagram/marilhamenezes
Marilha, an HR Management graduate, worked as an occupational safety technician for an airline at Galeão International Airport.
She was the mother of a 6-year-old boy and lived on Governador Island in Rio’s North Zone.
On social media, users reacted to the news by sending their condolences to the victim’s family, while also condemning the surgeon and societal beauty standards.
“The price one pays for beauty is de*th,” one person wrote.
“So young, a deeply sad loss,” said someone else, while a third user added, “What a nightmare! Every day a young woman falls victim to butchers.”
“Why was he still able to continue working?” one netizen said of the surgeon
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