A plastic surgeon in the Florida Panhandle is facing charges in connection with the death of his wife, who suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away following after-hours procedures performed by him at his clinic last year, authorities revealed.
Benjamin Brown has been arrested and charged with manslaughter by culpable negligence, a second-degree felony. He was released from jail after posting bond.
His defense attorney stated that Dr. Brown plans to plead not guilty and will vigorously defend himself in court. An arraignment is scheduled for the coming month.
Hillary Brown, Dr. Brown’s wife, went into cardiac arrest during procedures at his clinic and passed away a week later at a hospital, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
The Florida Department of Health has filed a complaint seeking penalties against Dr. Brown, including potential revocation or suspension of his license, related to his wife’s case and others.
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Hillary Brown, unsupervised by her husband or any other healthcare provider, prepared her own anesthesia and filled IV bags for procedures such as arm liposuction, lip injections, and an ear adjustment, as per the Department of Health complaint.
She took multiple pills, including a sedative, painkiller, and antibiotic, before becoming sedated, though there was no documentation of her pill consumption, the complaint noted.
According to the complaint, during the procedures, Hillary Brown experienced twitching in her feet, blurry vision, and visual disturbances. Dr. Brown administered more lidocaine to her face. She then became unresponsive and had a seizure.
Despite indications of distress, Dr. Brown allegedly delayed calling for emergency assistance. Eventually, when Hillary Brown’s condition worsened, he instructed his assistants to call 911 and began resuscitation efforts.
However, a medical assistant claimed to have made the decision to call 911, not Dr. Brown. Emergency room physicians later treated Hillary Brown for lidocaine toxicity, according to a sheriff’s office report.
Last month, the Department of Health issued an emergency order limiting Dr. Brown’s practice to hospital procedures supervised by another physician. The order highlighted safety concerns related to his wife’s treatment and described his actions as careless and haphazard.
The order cited that Dr. Brown’s disregard for patient safety, even in the case of his wife, indicates a lack of capability to provide appropriate care for future patients.
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