Mother of 2 dies after cosmetic procedure

The search for the perfect body through plastic surgery has claimed another life in Miami.

Maria Christian, 32, died Wednesday night from a “medical incident” following surgery to reduce her abdomen at Vanity Cosmetic Surgery, a clinic at 8504 SW Eighth St.

This is the second time since May that a patient was rushed to a hospital following a cosmetic surgery procedure and died. The procedures were performed at Vanity or Encore Plastic Surgery in Hialeah, which list the same addresses for their registered agents, state records show.

Christian’s heart stopped during the procedure, and she was rushed to Kendall Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, relatives said.

Christian, who is from Ecuador, had two children, 12 and 2.

Vanity Cosmetic Surgery issued a statement saying Christian had undergone two previous cosmetic procedures at the clinic, the most recent one in January. “She was considered to be in good health when she underwent the procedure, and all of the standard procedures prior to the surgery were carried out,” said the statement. “Regrettably, she suffered a heart attack at the end of the surgery.”

Vanity Cosmetic Surgery added that its facilities were inspected by Miami-Dade Police. “They found that everything was in accordance with standard protocols,” the statement said.

Vanity said Dr. Camille D. Chavez performed the surgery.

In May, a 29-year-old woman from West Virginia, Heather Meadows, died following a cosmetic surgery procedure at Encore Plastic Surgery.

This story was originally published September 12, 2016 at 9:30 PM with the headline "Mother of 2 dies after cosmetic procedure."