A grieving family is searching for answers after the death of a Kentucky mother who traveled to South Florida for cosmetic surgery and never made it home. Kenly Millan Aponte, a 35-year-old mother of two, underwent multiple cosmetic procedures, including a tummy tuck and a Brazilian butt lift, at Svelta Plastic Surgery in Coral Gables.

Delays and Lack of Emergency Equipment

According to a Coral Gables Fire Rescue report, paramedics found Aponte in cardiac arrest on the operating table. The report states that “no CPR was in progress” at the time and “staff was unable to provide an exact time” of when Aponte went into cardiac arrest. The clinic’s staff said they were “almost done” with the procedure when Aponte’s oxygen saturation began to drop.

First responders also documented that no crash cart, which is mandatory by the state of Florida for an ambulatory surgical center, was visible in the operating room. The report reveals that there was a delay in reaching Aponte due to a slow elevator and that no staff member was holding it for the paramedics.

Second Death at the Clinic

Just three weeks after Aponte’s death, another family says they experienced a similar tragedy. Endrys Elian Martinez, a 19-year-old man, suffered complications from anesthesia during a routine nose job at the same clinic. He fought for his life for several days but ultimately did not survive.

The clinic’s CEO, Gretel Jardon, released a statement saying that the clinic understands the importance of fire rescue care and that they believe they followed the appropriate protocols. However, the family’s attorney, Jorge Silva, emphasizes the significance of the lack of a crash cart and the delay in reaching the patient.

Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.