Unlicensed Plastic Surgeon Tries to Flee From New York After Botched Procedure Leaves Patient Brain Dead

An unlicensed plastic surgeon tries to flee the country after a botched procedure leaves a patient brain dead. The suspect, who operated an illegal clinic from his home in Queens, was arrested after attempting to escape through JFK Airport.

According to New York Daily News, Felipe Hoyos-Foronda, who claimed to be a licensed doctor in Colombia, performed a cosmetic procedure inside his Astoria home that went tragically wrong. His 31-year-old patient is now brain-dead and not expected to survive. It was also revealed that he reportedly charges up to $1000 for multiple procedures.

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Inside the Botched Procedure That Left a Patient Brain Dead

Authorities say the female patient had gone to Hoyos-Foronda’s apartment on Friday to have her butt implants removed. As part of the DIY operation, the suspect reportedly injected the woman with lidocaine, a local anesthetic often used in minor medical procedures. Shortly after the injection, the woman went into cardiac arrest. Emergency responders were called to the apartment and immediately saw signs of an illegal home clinic, prompting them to contact NYPD.

The patient was transported to Mount Sinai Queens Hospital, where she was intubated and later declared brain dead due to a lack of oxygen to the brain. Hospital staff determined she suffered lidocaine toxicity—a condition where the anesthetic overwhelms the bloodstream, leading to seizures, heart failure, or death.

Unlicensed Surgeon’s Escape Plan Fails at JFK Airport

Following the botched procedure, Hoyos-Foronda reportedly tried to flee the scene. Authorities say he drove toward John F. Kennedy International Airport, but his license plate was captured en route, and law enforcement quickly coordinated an airport takedown.

Officers from the Port Authority Police Department apprehended Hoyos-Foronda before he could board a flight. During questioning, he claimed to be a licensed doctor in Colombia, though he holds no valid license to practice medicine in the United States.

Hoyos-Foronda was charged with assault and unauthorized practice of profession, and further legal action may follow depending on the patient’s final condition.