Family members filed a lawsuit Monday after a mother of five died following a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedure in Miami, NBC News reported Thursday.
Thirty-three-year-old Erica Russell of Tennessee sought the procedure at the Seduction Cosmetic Center in Coral Gables, Florida, in June 2021, NBC News reported. The BBL, however, took a fatal turn when her doctor, John Sampson, allegedly caused severe internal injuries that led to Russell’s untimely death, the lawsuit claims, according to the outlet.
The lawsuit, which Russell’s family filed in Miami-Dade County, alleges that during the surgery, Sampson used a cannula that punctured Russell’s liver, bladder and intestines, according to the outlet. Just over two hours after the operation ended, Russell suffered cardiac arrest and died, NBC reported. An autopsy revealed that pulmonary fat emboli and bleeding from the liposuction and bilateral gluteal augmentation surgery were the cause of death, according to the outlet.
The lawsuit also alleges that Sampson was not authorized to perform the procedure at the facility and that the Seduction Cosmetic Center provided misleading documentation that misrepresented Sampson’s privileges to perform plastic and cosmetic surgery at a local hospital, according to the family’s attorneys, NBC News reported. (RELATED: Model Says Her Breasts Almost Turned To ‘Mush’ From Surgery)
Since Sept. 2022, Sampson has faced permanent restrictions on performing BBLs, the outlet reported.
According to the lawsuit, Russell’s butt lift operation was Sampson’s seventh of the day and began after he had been working for nearly fourteen hours, NBC News added.
“We’ve all had long days at work, but they don’t typically end with causing another’s death,” the family’s lawyers said in a statement. “We should not accept this type of conduct in our community. Our firm looks forward to moving this case forward and holding these defendants accountable for their actions.”