DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - The doctor at a Doral cosmetic center who performed surgery on a woman who later died was apparently in the process of fighting to get his medical license back while he was still working.
Dr. Osakatukei “Osak” Omulepu performed a procedure on 30-year-old Lattia Baumeister from Rock Island, Illinois, Thursday, at Seduction Medical Center, before she had a medical emergency.
Florida Health Officials had already revoked his license in April after he was accused of harming patients, but the First District Court of Appeals allowed him to practice while he appealed the decision to the Florida Medical Board.
According to police, Baumeister suffered a medical emergency and was transported from the facility, located at 2500 NW 107th Ave. in Doral, to Kendall Regional Medical Center, where she later died.
The state had already filed four complaints against him related to cosmetic cases in 2015. Omulepu had been accused of bad fat injections, anesthesia errors and puncturing organs.
“He punctured my colon in several different locations. Not in just one,” said Nyosha Fowler, a former patient.
Diondra Hill said she drove in from Tampa for a breast augmentation at the Doral clinic. “I was excited! I wanted to do something new, try something new,” she said.
But her surgery was postponed, Friday, following Baumeister’s death. “It’s unfortunate what happened to the young lady yesterday,” said Hill.
Omulepu’s attorney, Monica Rodriguez, said in a statement, “Dr. Omulepu is absolutely devastated by the complication that occurred in the case. This is the first patient death he has had.”
Rodriguez did not specify the exact procedure that Baumeister had.
“Although what happened has been widely documented as a complication of the procedure the patient underwent, it is not a situation any surgeon wants to have, nor does it make this any easier for the patient’s family or for him,” she said.
Hill said the clinic attempted to reschedule her procedure. “They said, ‘All the surgeons left,’ and if there was something they could do. ‘We can schedule it for Saturday or Monday,’ and I told them I couldn’t,” she said.
Seduction Medical Center, however, has been shut down by the City of Doral.
A form sent to the clinic from the city’s Code Compliance stated that, starting immediately, no operations are allowed.
The city claimed six doctors are operating without a business license, among other violations.
According to the facility’s website, the owners of the clinic also operate a Seduction by Jargon Plastic Surgery in Aventura.
In March, two women suffered medical emergencies while getting Brazilian butt lifts. Both suffered severe bleeding and were admitted to the ICU.
“I’m just glad that I survived,” said one of the patients.
Hill said she is counting her blessings. “God saved me, because I could have probably been walking to my death,” she said.
The patient said she’s had a change of heart about the procedure. She called her credit card company to dispute the $3,000 charge. It looks like she won’t have a problem getting her money back.
Hill said she won’t be having any cosmetic surgeries. “Yeah, no. I’m thankful for what I have, so I’m OK with it now,” she said. “No more breast augmentation or anything.”
Miami-Dade Police homicide detectives have taken over the investigation into Baumeister’s medical emergency.
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