A plastic surgeon in Florida, Benjamin Jacob Brown, was arrested for the death of his wife, Hillary Ellington Brown, who went into cardiac arrest after undergoing cosmetic procedures performed by him. It was reported that Brown failed to call 911 for nearly 20 minutes while his wife was in distress on the operating table in his Gulf Breeze office.
It was revealed that the victim took a significant amount of pills before the surgery and even participated in the operation by sewing up her abdominal incision herself. Brown turned himself in and was charged with manslaughter by culpable negligence, a second-degree felony. The Florida Department of Health also filed an emergency restriction on Brown’s medical license following the incident.
According to reports, Brown’s wife had prepared her own IV bags containing anesthetic, despite having no medical training. Staff members at the practice mentioned that Brown administered additional anesthesia during the procedures but did not record the dosages. There were allegations that Brown intentionally gave his wife higher doses of medications, leading to complications during the surgery.
As the victim’s condition worsened, staff members suggested calling 911, but Brown insisted on handling the situation himself. Finally, he agreed to call for help, and his wife was rushed to the hospital, where she was placed on life support before passing away a week later. Brown had posted emotional messages on social media, asking for prayers for his wife’s recovery.
The victim’s father blamed Brown for his daughter’s death, stating that Brown’s ego and arrogance led to the tragic outcome. A medical examiner determined that the cause of death was complications following lidocaine toxicity. The Florida Department of Health concluded that Brown had shown negligence and disregard for patient safety, even with his own wife.
Brown, a graduate of Georgetown University’s Department of Plastic Surgery, faces the possibility of life in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of second-degree homicide. The case has raised concerns about patient safety and the ethical conduct of medical professionals, especially when it comes to performing procedures on loved ones.