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Police questioned a New Jersey woman and were seeking a second woman for questioning in the case of a London woman who died after receiving cosmetic injections in her buttocks at a hotel near Philadelphia International Airport.
Investigators issued a search warrant at the New Jersey home of a woman they believe organised the appointment, Philadelphia police Lt. Ray Evers said. She was questioned and unspecified evidence was seized from the residence but she was not arrested, he said.
Evers said police believe she acted as a coordinator of buttocks and hip enlargements for the victim and another woman, communicating with them overseas by e-mail, text messages and phone calls to set up the visit -their second in recent months.
"Our information tells us these girls were here in November and did receive treatment from the same individuals," Evers said.
The victim
The second woman who was being sought for questioning "was the actual person who performed the enhancements," he said.
The victim, identified by the medical examiner as Claudia Seye Aderotimi, 20, died at the hospital after suffering from chest pains and breathing trouble.
Aderotimi, who lived in London but was not a British citizen, flew from London to Philadelphia on Saturday with three other women. One friend had a similar cosmetic procedure and the other two went shopping in New York, Evers said. Police declined to release their names but said all were in their early 20s.
Aderotimi received injections only to her buttocks. The surviving woman, who was not hospitalised, received hip and buttocks injections. Evers said investigators were not sure why the women came to Philadelphia to undergo the procedures and added it was the first such case city police have come across.
"This is something that's completely unregulated," Evers said. "If nothing goes wrong, if no one dies, we're not going to find out about it."
Cause of death
Delaware County medical examiner Fredric Hellman said a preliminary cause of death was not being released pending further studies. It could take several weeks before toxicology test results are complete.
Authorities had not yet determined whether manslaughter or other charges may be filed in the case, Evers said. Police, the city district attorney's office, the Delaware County medical examiner and the FDA were assisting in the investigation.
Neither the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nor the FDA keep data on injuries or deaths caused by illicit cosmetic injections. Besides liquid silicone, injections of substances including paraffin, petroleum jelly and hydrogel have been illegally used to enlarge women's breasts, hips and buttocks.
Cases in recent years of illegal cosmetic injections causing death, disfigurement and health problems have been reported from New York City to Los Angeles and beyond. Solange Magnano, a 38-year-old model and former Miss Argentina, died in Buenos Aires in 2009 from complications after having cosmetic injections on her buttocks.(Sapa/January 2011)
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