Miami’s booming cosmetic surgery industry has increasingly become a site of tragedy, particularly for Black and Latina women seeking affordable beauty transformations.
Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedures—while popularized on social media—carry one of the highest mortality rates among cosmetic surgeries.
Recent investigations reveal multiple fatalities tied to discount clinics and unregulated practices in South Florida.
Documented Fatalities, Verified Cases
Several tragic BBL-related deaths have been reported by major outlets:
Ahmonique Miller (28) – Died hours after her BBL and liposuction at Avana Plastic Surgery. She was at Keyla’s Recovery House, an unlicensed recovery facility.
The Miami-Dade medical examiner determined her death was due to acute drug toxicity from unprescribed oxycodone and bromazolam.
Wildelis Rosa (26) – A New Orleans police officer and U.S. Army reservist, Rosa died days after her Miami BBL due to a pulmonary embolism caused by surgery-related blood clots.
Wildelis Rosa, 26, had just gotten back from deployment overseas when she decided to get the popular Brazilian butt lift.
Gia Romualdo-Rodriguez (46) – A transgender Latina activist from NYC, she died during surgery when a fat embolism occurred after fat was injected into gluteal muscles instead of beneath the skin.
The Miami Herald reported her death as accidental and tied to known surgical risks.
These fatalities are among 25 BBL-related deaths in South Florida between 2010 and 2022, as documented by studies and multiple news agencies. Most occurred at low-cost, high-volume clinics, often located in strip malls.
Why This Matters for Black and Brown Women
- Cultural pressure and affordability: Among Black and Latina communities, BBLs frequently align with beauty ideals tied to empowerment and identity. However, financial constraints often steer women toward clinics prioritizing volume over safety.
- Lack of regulation: Unlicensed recovery houses and clinics that undercut prices—with aggressive social media marketing—have repeatedly been connected to fatal outcomes, like in Ahmonique Miller’s case.
- Technical dangers: Fat embolism and pulmonary embolism—caused by deep injections into muscle—are among the deadliest BBL complications, often fatal within hours.
What Communities Need to Know Before Booking a BBL
- Seek board-certified plastic surgeons with hospital privileges.
- Avoid clinics with “too good to be true” pricing and unregulated aftercare settings.
- Ensure facilities adhere to safety protocols, including ultrasound-guided injections above the muscle.
- Question recovery arrangements—especially if housed in private homes without medical supervision.
- Be wary of influencer-promoted clinics, particularly those prioritizing visibility over transparency.
These losses are not isolated—each name represents a story cut short, families shattered, and communities left in mourning. As BBLs continue to trend within Black and Latina spaces for self-expression, awareness around these risks must grow, too.
