A plastic surgeon in Colorado recieved a 15-day sentence after he allegedly didn’t call 911 for five hours following a breast augmentation surgery gone wrong, Law and Crime reported Friday.
Dr. Geoffrey Kim was found guilty of attempted manslaughter and obstructing telephone service after 18-year-old Emmalyn Nguyen died, according to Law and Crime. Nguyen suffered cardiac arrest in 2019 after being administered a lethal dose of anesthesia, which was seven times more than necessary. She was comatose for 14 months before passing away in Oct. 2020.
The conviction came after it was revealed that Dr. Kim allegedly delayed calling emergency services for over five hours after Nguyen stopped breathing. This delay, according to the prosecution, contributed to Nguyen’s dire condition, per Law and Crime. Nurses claimed they were instructed by Dr. Kim not to call for help.
Colorado plastic surgeon Geoffrey Kim sentenced to probation, 15 days in jail for death of Emmalyn Nguyen https://t.co/UCcrqXL5pt pic.twitter.com/YPTm81Ie3R
— CBSColorado (@CBSNewsColorado) November 16, 2023
“I told him we should send her to the hospital, and I added, it’s standard operating procedure,” said Rex Meeker, the former nurse anesthetist at Colorado Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery who administered the dose to Nguyen, per KDVR.
Despite facing charges of criminally negligent homicide and reckless manslaughter, these were later dismissed, and Meeker surrendered his nursing license. The anesthesiologist said he saw the victim turn blue after he administered the anesthesia, according to KDVR. (RELATED: Hank Williams Jr’s Wife Died After Cosmetic Surgery)
The legal team representing Dr. Kim laid the blame on the anesthesiologist. They argued that the teenager’s fate was sealed the moment the potent opioid was administered, rendering any subsequent attempts to revive her futile, per Law and Crime.
Despite being convicted, Dr. Kim will be returning to his surgical practice. This decision, sanctioned by the Colorado Medical Board in Aug., comes after Dr. Kim served a 15-day jail sentence, followed by the commencement of a two-year supervised probation period, per Law and Crime.