So, like, there’s this dude, Felipe Hoyos-Foronda, who thought he could play doctor but ended up causing a woman’s death with a botched butt injection. Prosecutors say he tried to skip town after the whole mess went down. Maria Penaloza, a 31-year-old mom from Queens with two little kiddos, died because of a procedure gone wrong in Hoyos-Foronda’s Astoria apartment back in late March. Not cool, man.
During his court appearance, Hoyos-Foronda rocked a mask as he entered a plea of not guilty to second-degree manslaughter on Monday. The prosecutor spilled the tea, revealing that Maria went to Hoyos-Foronda’s apartment on 35th Street on March 28. Turns out, this guy had his place decked out like a janky doctor’s office. He even gave Maria a whole bottle of lidocaine, which caused her body to freak out and tense up. Then, he tried to play hero with some CPR. She came back to life at the hospital, but Hoyos-Foronda was already making a run for it to JFK Airport.
District Attorney Melinda Katz wasn’t having it, though. She called out Hoyos-Foronda’s attempt to flee as a major red flag. Police caught up with him at Terminal 5, waiting in line at Starbucks like nothing was wrong. They found empty lidocaine bottles in his apartment and car, along with blood-stained items and syringes. Maria was fighting for her life on a ventilator while this guy was sipping on a latte at the airport. Not a good look.
Sadly, Maria didn’t make it and passed away 14 days later. Her mom was heartbroken in court, demanding justice for her daughter. Her niece, Valentina Benalova, spoke out after the hearing, expressing just how tough this whole ordeal has been.
Katz wants this case to be a wake-up call for everyone out there. She stressed the importance of checking out your doc before letting them inject who-knows-what into your body. You can never be too careful these days, right?
The investigation is still ongoing, so Katz is urging anyone who got treated by Hoyos-Foronda to come forward. Apparently, this guy was playing doctor in his apartment for months. Who knows how many people he messed up with his DIY medical procedures.
So, the moral of the story is, folks, be careful who you trust with your health. You never know who’s posing as a doctor these days. And hey, if you ever feel iffy about a so-called medical professional, maybe it’s best to hit the brakes and do a little background check. Can’t be too safe, right? Just a thought.
