Two Patients Dead, Criminal Investigation Requested at Miami Plastic Surgery Clinic With Troubling History
A Miami cosmetic surgery clinic already linked to previous patient deaths is once again under intense scrutiny after two out of state patients died within weeks of each other following procedures at the facility.
Now, a prominent South Florida law firm is not only pursuing wrongful death and medical malpractice claims but is also calling for criminal investigators to examine whether negligence at the clinic crossed the line into criminal conduct. The cases center on Svelta Plastic Surgery, a Miami facility located at 4950 SW 8th Street that quietly rebranded earlier this year after operating for nearly two decades under the name Seduction Cosmetic Surgery. The deaths have reignited concerns about South Florida’s high-volume cosmetic surgery industry, which has repeatedly faced criticism over patient safety, aggressive social media marketing, and a history of serious medical complications.
Teenager Dies After Routine Nose Surgery
One of the victims was 19 year old Endrys Elian Martinez, a student whose family had recently relocated from Venezuela to Tennessee in search of a safer life. According to attorneys representing the family, Martinez traveled to Miami with his parents after seeing the clinic promoted by social media influencers and online advertising.
What was supposed to be a routine rhinoplasty procedure allegedly turned into a catastrophe before surgery even began. Attorney George Silva says Martinez suffered a medical emergency shortly after anesthesia was administered. The legal team alleges clinic staff failed to recognize the complication quickly enough, leaving the teenager deprived of oxygen for an extended period.
Martinez was ultimately declared brain dead over Memorial Day weekend and died on May 26. His family alleges that when they returned to the clinic seeking answers and medical records, they were denied access to documentation and instructed to communicate through attorneys. The clinic has not publicly responded to those allegations.
Mother of Two Dies Following “Mommy Makeover”
Just weeks earlier, another patient allegedly suffered a fatal outcome at the same facility. Thirty five year old Kenly Millan Aponte traveled from Kentucky to Miami seeking a cosmetic procedure commonly known as a “mommy makeover,” a combination of surgeries that often includes breast augmentation, liposuction, and abdominal contouring.
According to attorneys, Aponte experienced severe complications during her breast procedure. Although she was rushed to a local hospital for emergency treatment, she died on April 29. Her death, combined with Martinez’s, has placed intense public focus on the clinic’s safety record and operational practices.
A New Name, Familiar Questions
A central issue expected to emerge in the litigation is the clinic’s January 2026 rebranding. For nearly twenty years, the facility operated under the Seduction Cosmetic Surgery name, one of the most recognizable brands in Miami’s cosmetic surgery market. Earlier this year, the business quietly became Svelta Plastic Surgery.
Attorneys representing the victims’ families argue that cosmetic surgery facilities frequently change names while maintaining substantially similar operations, ownership structures, and business models. They contend such rebranding efforts can make it difficult for prospective patients, especially those traveling from other states, to fully understand a clinic’s history before scheduling procedures. Whether the name change was routine business restructuring or something more significant is expected to become a major issue during litigation.
A Long History of Safety Concerns
The recent fatalities are not the first serious incidents associated with the Southwest Miami facility. In 2021, a patient died following a Brazilian Butt Lift procedure performed at the location while it operated under the Seduction name. According to findings reviewed by the Florida Board of Medicine, the operating surgeon allegedly punctured the patient’s liver and intestines during liposuction.
The surgeon, Dr. John Sampson, was later fined by state regulators and permanently prohibited from performing Brazilian Butt Lift procedures in Florida. Regulatory records revealed that the fatality was reportedly the second BBL related death associated with the facility within a five year period. Separate incidents over the years have also resulted in emergency hospitalizations involving patients suffering severe internal bleeding and dangerously low blood pressure following cosmetic procedures. While those cases involved different patients and circumstances, critics argue they demonstrate a pattern that warrants closer scrutiny by regulators.
Calls for Criminal Investigation
The legal battle may now move beyond civil court. Attorney George Silva confirmed that his firm has formally requested a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding both recent deaths. Such investigations typically examine whether medical staff followed accepted standards of care, properly monitored patients, accurately documented complications, and responded appropriately during emergencies.
Criminal charges in medical negligence cases remain relatively rare and generally require evidence beyond ordinary malpractice. Still, the request underscores the seriousness of the allegations being raised by the victims’ families.
South Florida’s Cosmetic Surgery Capital Faces Renewed Scrutiny
Miami has become one of the nation’s largest destinations for elective cosmetic surgery, attracting thousands of patients each year from across the United States and around the world. Many clinics rely heavily on influencer marketing, social media promotion, and package pricing to attract patients seeking procedures at lower costs than they might find elsewhere.
Critics have long argued that the industry’s explosive growth has sometimes outpaced oversight and enforcement. For the families of Endrys Martinez and Kenly Aponte, those larger industry debates are now painfully personal. As civil lawsuits move forward and investigators review the circumstances surrounding both deaths, one question remains at the center of the controversy, how two patients died within weeks of each other at the same Miami cosmetic surgery facility and whether those tragedies could have been prevented. The lawsuits remain pending, and no criminal charges have been filed. The clinic and medical providers involved have not been found liable for wrongdoing, and investigations remain ongoing.
