Criminal charges have been filed against a prominent plastic surgeon and an anesthetist who was involved in a 2019 breast surgery.
Emmalyn Nguyen, 18, went into cardiac arrest during a breast augmentation surgery, but authorities say that the surgeon did not call 911 for five hours. She died in the hands of a Surgeon and an anesthetist following the procedure.
Dr. Geoffrey Kim, Colorado plastic surgeon, turned himself in this week after Colorado authorities charged him with first-degree aggravated assault and criminally negligent homicide, both felonies are in line with the death of patient Emmalyn.
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office announced that the nurse anesthetist at the practice, about 13 miles southeast of downtown Denver, is also facing a manslaughter charge.
Rex Meeker, the anesthetist, had not yet been taken into custody. Nguyen suffered severe brain damage and was in a minimally conscious state before she died in October 2020.
Captain Travis Stewart with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said: “We opened this case in August 2019, the investigation has taken more than two years to complete and involved dozens of interviews and search warrants.”
“Our hope is that this will be the beginning of bringing justice and a sense of closure to Emmalyn’s family,” he added.
Last year, Dr. Kim and Meeker agreed to pay $1 million each to the family. Mr. Meeker voluntarily agreed to discontinue administering anesthesia but was allowed to continue practicing nursing.
Kari Hershey, an attorney for the surgeon, told CBS last year: “Although this was a tragic anesthesia-related complication, the practice and Dr. Kim agreed to a resolution of the claims brought by Ms. Nguyen’s parents in the hope that it would bring them some sense of closure.”
Before the criminal charges, Dr. Kim had already reached an agreement with state regulators admitting to “unprofessional conduct,” the local CBS station reported last year that he was given three years of probation but allowed to practice medicine with certain restrictions.
Nguyen’s family said they were glad to be “finally getting justice for Emmalyn.” Nguyen’s family, however, said they are still looking for answers as to why their teen daughter’s procedure took a deadly turn.
Lynn Fam, Emmalyn’s mother, released a statement saying: “We still haven’t been able to get closure from this, and hopefully the criminal charges will help bring out the full truth and help us accomplish justice for Emmalyn.”
She continued: “It’s just crazy how these medical staff could get away with this and none of us still not knowing the truth about what really happened when Emmalyn was in the OR. How could they let that happen to her?”
“Our lives will never be the same again and our hearts will never be at peace. It’s so difficult losing a child under the hands of someone you thought knew what they’re doing,” she added.
Before Nguyen’s fatal surgery, the Greenwood Village, Colorado, plastic surgeon received dozens of rave reviews from former patients who posted positive comments on his WebMD rating page.
Recommended Video For You!
“I’ve risked my life six times for perfect boobs” – 50-year-old spends £26k on implants after confidence hits rock bottom