New Orleans Police Officer Dies from Pulmonary Embolism After Brazilian Butt Lift in Miami

Wildelis Rosa died days after undergoing a Brazilian butt lift and complaining of “extreme pain” following the risky cosmetic procedure

A 26-year-old New Orleans police officer and U.S. Army Reservist has died from complications following a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedure performed in South Florida. Wildelis Rosa passed away on March 23, just days after undergoing the high-risk cosmetic surgery at a Miami clinic.

Rosa traveled to Miami under the pretense of celebrating her birthday, without informing her family that she planned to have the surgery. Her pre-operative lab work was completed on March 19 at Prestige Plastic Surgery Clinic, and the following day, fat was extracted from 12 areas of her body and injected into her buttocks. She paid $7,495 for the procedure, a price consistent with Miami's reputation for offering lower-cost cosmetic surgeries compared to other parts of the country.

The day before her death, a friend staying with Rosa said she appeared pale, had dilated pupils, her lips appeared purple, and she said she had no feeling in her legs or feet

Rosa, who had recently returned from deployment in Kuwait, was recovering at a short-term rental when she informed her family about the procedure three days later. Her sister, Anamin Vazquez, said the family immediately sensed something was wrong after Rosa failed to respond to messages.

On the morning of March 23, Rosa was found unresponsive in the bathroom by a friend who had been staying with her. CPR was administered, but she had already died. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner determined the cause of death as a pulmonary embolism caused by blood clots associated with cosmetic surgery.

Rosa had her pre-operative blood work done at Prestige Plastic Surgery Clinic in South Florida on March 19, and the following day, doctors removed fat from 12 areas around her body and injected it into the buttocks

According to her friend, Rosa had complained of extreme pain during a post-surgery follow-up. In the hours leading up to her death, she reportedly experienced severe symptoms including difficulty breathing, drastic drops in blood pressure, pale skin, dilated pupils, purple lips, and numbness in her legs and feet. Rosa had even texted a friend the night before, expressing concerns about circulation issues in her feet.

Her family believes that these clear warning signs were overlooked. “It was unnecessary for her to die like that,” said Vazquez, adding that Rosa had aspired to work for the FBI before her life was tragically cut short.

Rosa was also a US Army Reservist who had just come back from deployment in Kuwait

Rosa’s death is part of a growing list of fatalities linked to cosmetic procedures in Miami. Over the last three and a half years, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office has certified 25 deaths tied to complications from plastic surgery across various clinics and practitioners.

Brazilian butt lifts, which gained popularity in the 2010s due to social media and celebrity trends, are among the most dangerous cosmetic surgeries. In 2024 alone, nearly 30,000 BBLs were performed in the United States, representing 28% of all cosmetic procedures that year. Despite increased safety regulations, the mortality rate remains concerning—estimated at 1 in 15,000. Most deaths result from fat embolisms or venous thromboembolisms, where injected fat enters blood vessels and travels to vital organs.