Colorado plastic surgeon faces manslaughter charges for death of 18-year old

A distinguished Colorado plastic surgeon is going through manslaughter expenses in connection to the dying of an 18-year-old affected person who died 14 months after the botched surgical procedure.

Dr. Geoffrey Kim, 52, turned himself in to Arapahoe County sheriff’s officers Wednesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Prosecutors have but to file the prison criticism, however the surgeon is anticipated to face a number of expenses, together with felony negligent murder, reckless manslaughter and misdemeanor obstruction of service, mentioned Vikki Migoya, a spokesperson with the Workplace of the District Legal professional for the 18th Judicial District.

Kim was launched shortly after his arrest and posted a $5,000 bond.

Dr. Geoffrey Kim turned himself in to Arapahoe County sheriff’s officers, and the plastic surgeon faces manslaughter expenses in connection to the dying of an 18-year-old affected person.

Arapahoe County

Investigators mentioned Kim was purported to carry out a breast augmentation surgical procedure on 18-year previous Emmalyn Nguyen on Aug. 1, 2019, when the teenager went into cardiac arrest after she was positioned beneath anesthesia by nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker.

Investigators mentioned Kim admitted he didn't name 911 for a minimum of 5 hours. Nguyen was left brain-dead and unable to talk or stroll. She died 14 months later.

“The investigation has taken greater than two years to finish and concerned dozens of interviews and search warrants,” Travis Stewart, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Workplace’s captain of investigations, mentioned in an announcement. “Our hope is that this would be the starting of bringing justice and a way of closure to Emmalyn’s household.“

Emmalyn Nguyen died after her breast augmentation surgical procedure went improper, leaving the teenager brain-dead and unable to talk or stroll.

Meeker can be going through a felony reckless manslaughter cost and turned himself in to authorities on Friday.

Lou Shapiro, a Los Angeles-based prison protection legal professional, mentioned it’s extremely uncommon for a medical physician to face prison expenses over affected person care, however the alleged information in Kim’s case are “disturbing.”

“The extra a health care provider deviates from the norm, the extra probably he can be prosecuted,” Shapiro mentioned. “The final high-profile case we noticed the place that occurred was Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson’s physician. That was confirmed to be egregiously harmful therapy.”

Emmalyn Nguyen went into cardiac arrest on August 1, 2019, after she was positioned beneath anesthesia by nurse anesthetist Rex Meeke.

In accordance with the possible trigger arrest warrants obtained by The Submit, Arapahoe County sheriff’s investigators mentioned Kim refused his workers’s request to name 911 after CPR was first carried out on Nguyen. Kim additionally allegedly misinformed Nguyen’s mom and mentioned her daughter was “nice” although her situation worsened. 

Investigators mentioned Meeker failed to acknowledge Nguyen was not respiratory for about quarter-hour after he administered anesthesia on the teenager, in line with the affidavit. When one other nurse seen Nguyen’s pores and skin started to show blue due to insufficient oxygen, investigators mentioned Meeker tried to manually ventilate Nguyen and stopped the anesthesia. 

About an hour later, Nguyen went into cardiac arrest, and Kim began “resuscitation efforts.” Investigators additionally alleged Kim refused to permit Nguyen’s mom to see her daughter within the working room.

Within the 4 hours whereas Nguyen was in Kim’s working room, Meeker pumped the 18-year previous with varied drugs to attempt to reverse the anesthesia however Nguyen by no means regained consciousness, in line with the affidavit. 

Emmalyn Nguyen’s household filed a civil swimsuit in opposition to the physician and nurse in December 2019, and so they agreed to pay $1 million every.

David Bosch, an emergency room physician who noticed Nguyen after she was lastly transported to a hospital, advised investigators that Kim and Meeker didn't instantly present him with correct info that may’ve helped to deal with Nguyen.

“[Bosch] said he didn't know if it was deliberate, nevertheless it appeared prefer it needed to have been deliberate,” the investigator wrote within the arrest warrant.

Nguyen’s household filed a civil swimsuit in opposition to Kim and Meeker in December 2019, and the disgraced physician and nurse settled and agreed to pay $1 million every, in line with CBS Denver.

The Colorado Medical Board additionally suspended Kim’s medical license.

Lynn Fam, Nguyen’s mom, launched an announcement and mentioned, “We’re all nonetheless very devastated and grieving over the lack of our stunning Emmalyn. It’s nonetheless so very surreal. This settlement or any sum of money might by no means substitute her. All we actually need is for Emmalyn to be with us wholesome and pleased once more.”

Emmalyn Nguyen’s household mentioned they're nonetheless searching for solutions as to what brought about the 18-year-old’s process to show deadly.

Earlier than Nguyen’s deadly surgical procedure, the Greenwood Village, Colorado, plastic surgeon obtained dozens of rave critiques from former sufferers who posted optimistic feedback on his WebMD scores web page.

Nguyen’s household, nevertheless, mentioned they're nonetheless searching for solutions as to why their teen daughter’s process took a lethal flip.

“It’s simply loopy how these medical workers might get away with this and none of us nonetheless not figuring out the reality about what actually occurred when Emmalyn was within the OR,” Fam mentioned about her daughter. “How might they let that occur to her? Our lives won't ever be the identical once more and our hearts won't ever be at peace. It’s so tough shedding a baby beneath the palms of somebody you thought knew what they’re doing.”