A self-proclaimed doctor from Colombia thought he could play the system with an illegal butt implant clinic out of a Queens home, but when his patient died from his amateur surgery, he found himself facing justice at JFK airport instead of escaping to South America.
At a Glance
- Felipe Hoyos-Foronda, posing as a doctor, left a NYC woman brain-dead after a botched butt implant removal in his illegal home clinic
- The victim, María Paz Peñaloza, suffered cardiac arrest from lidocaine toxicity and was taken off life support on April 11
- Hoyos-Foronda fled after the procedure but was caught at JFK with a ticket to Colombia
- He faces charges of assault and unauthorized practice of medicine, with possible upgraded charges following Peñaloza’s death
- The illegal clinic was operating out of a residential home in Ditmars Steinway, now under partial vacate order
Illegal “Medical Tourism” in Queens Ends in Tragedy
Welcome to Biden’s America, where our border is wide open but somehow we can’t keep track of unlicensed foreigners setting up makeshift operating rooms in residential neighborhoods. This latest tragedy unfolded in Queens, where Felipe Hoyos-Foronda, claiming to be a doctor from Colombia, set up an illegal cosmetic surgery clinic in a residential home in Ditmars Steinway. The fact that someone can set up an unauthorized medical facility with zero oversight should terrify every law-abiding American citizen who expects basic safety standards in their community.
María Paz Peñaloza, a mother seeking to have butt implants removed, made the fatal mistake of trusting this charlatan with her life. Hoyos-Foronda administered lidocaine during the procedure – a powerful local anesthetic that requires proper medical training to use safely. The results were catastrophic – Peñaloza went into cardiac arrest showing clear signs of lidocaine toxicity. She was rushed to a hospital “clinging to life” but was ultimately declared brain-dead and taken off life support on April 11th, leaving a family devastated by this entirely preventable tragedy.
Flight Risk Captured at JFK
In a move that surprises absolutely nobody, Hoyos-Foronda didn’t stick around to face the consequences of his actions. After realizing his patient was in critical condition, he fled the scene like the coward he is. Authorities tracked him down as he was attempting to board a flight back to Colombia from JFK airport. Apparently, our immigration system may be completely broken when it comes to keeping criminals out, but thankfully it still occasionally works when we’re trying to keep them in to face justice.
“We never imagined this would happen,” said Linney Peñaloza Cabrera, a relative of the victim.
The Queens District Attorney’s office has already charged Hoyos-Foronda with second-degree assault and unauthorized practice of a profession. He is currently being held without bail at the Otis Bantum Correctional Center in East Elmhurst, New York. Given that his patient has now died, prosecutors are considering upgrading the charges. The DA’s office stated, “Whenever circumstances change in a case we re-examine the charges,” which in this case seems like code for “we’re figuring out how to throw the book at this guy.”
A Makeshift Operating Room in a Family Neighborhood
Authorities have placed a partial vacate order on the house where this quackery took place, describing it as “first apartment operating as a medical office with medical exam table, cosmetic injectable syringes, exam lights.” Just imagine living next door to an illegal surgical center and having no idea. This isn’t just about one victim – it’s about a complete breakdown in community safety and regulatory oversight that allowed such a facility to operate undetected in a residential area.
According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Hoyos-Foronda was performing medical procedures “without a license to do so and while not in a medical facility,”
In what appears to be an effort to find other potential victims, the NYPD has released Hoyos-Foronda’s photo and is encouraging anyone with information to come forward. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 28, when perhaps we’ll learn how many other people may have been put at risk by this unauthorized practitioner. While the beauty industry continues to grow, the tragic case of María Paz Peñaloza serves as a stark reminder that seeking bargain procedures from unlicensed practitioners can come at the ultimate cost.
