A young New Orleans police officer and Army Reservist died after a cosmetic surgery procedure during what was meant to be a celebratory birthday trip to Florida, leading to increased unease over the safety of such operations.

Wildelis Rosa, a 26-year-old from New Orleans, traveled to Miami in March 2025, initially telling loved ones she was celebrating her birthday. Behind the scenes, however, she planned to undergo a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedure -- an increasingly popular but high-risk form of cosmetic enhancement involving fat transfer from various body areas to the buttocks, as the New York Post reports.

Rosa underwent pre-operative bloodwork on March 19 and had surgery the next day at Prestige Plastic Surgery Clinic in South Florida. The BBL involved the extraction of fat from 12 regions of her body, which was then re-injected into her buttocks. The procedure cost $7,495, a price considered low compared to national averages, prompting many out-of-state clients to seek care in the Miami cosmetic surgery market, known for its affordability and frequent advertising on social media.

Career cut tragically short

Rosa had recently returned from a military deployment in Kuwait and served with both the New Orleans Police Department and the U.S. Army Reserves. According to her family, she hadn’t informed them ahead of time about the surgery and disclosed it only after the procedure, when she was recovering at a short-term rental location.

By March 22, three days after the operation, Rosa was exhibiting severe symptoms. Reports from friends said she appeared pale, had dilated pupils and purple lips, and mentioned numbness in her legs and feet. She also sent alarming messages to another friend, raising concerns about her blood pressure and circulation prior to the tragedy.

That same evening, those close to her sensed something was wrong. “In our guts like something is wrong,” her sister, Anamin Vazquez, said. By the following day, March 23, Rosa was found unresponsive in the bathroom. A friend attempted CPR but was unable to revive her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Warning signs ignored

Only one day after the surgery, Rosa visited the clinic for a scheduled post-operative checkup and reported being in significant pain. Despite this, there appears to have been no emergency intervention before her death. Vazquez believes her sister's symptoms should have been taken seriously and intervention may have saved her life.

“It’s that’s the part that we have to live with because it was unnecessary for her to die … to die like that,” Vazquez said. She had tried reaching out for her sister’s birthday with a message, only to receive no response.

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner determined Rosa died from a pulmonary embolism caused by blood clots often associated with cosmetic procedures such as BBLs. These clots can form when injected fat enters blood vessels and travels to critical organs, a known risk with this type of surgery.

Avoidable deaths continue to rise

Rosa’s death is not an isolated case. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office has recorded 25 deaths related to cosmetic surgeries in the last three and a half years. Many of these cases, like Rosa’s, involve BBL procedures done in South Florida at discount rates.

Brazilian butt lifts, which originated in the 1960s, have seen a boom in popularity since the 2010s, largely driven by celebrity influence and social media culture. Yet despite updates to safety standards in 2019, the procedure remains one of the deadliest offered in the cosmetic industry.

According to data from 2024, BBLs made up nearly 30 percent of all cosmetic surgeries performed in the United States. Of the estimated 30,000 people who underwent the operation that year, the mortality rate stood at approximately one in 15,000.

Lessons to learn

1. Understand the Risks Fully Before Surgery: Even when a procedure is trending and marketed as safe, like the BBL, make sure to consult extensively with licensed professionals and understand all medical risks, especially those involving blood clots or fat embolisms.

2. Don’t Let Price Be the Deciding Factor: Many patients are lured by lower prices in regions like South Florida. While costs may be appealing, lower prices often come at the expense of safety standards and comprehensive aftercare.

3. Immediate Medical Attention Saves Lives: Any unusual symptoms following a procedure—such as issues with breathing, pain, or changes in skin color—should be treated as medical emergencies. Rosa’s tragic story reminds us that speaking up early and seeking emergency care could make the difference between life and death. Still, it’s important to remember that no matter how careful someone is, complications can happen, and victims should never be blamed.

Why this story matters

This case highlights the hidden dangers of elective cosmetic surgery and the burden it places on families when something goes wrong. It serves as a wake-up call to both patients and providers to prioritize medical ethics and safety over industry profit.

The growing number of deaths tied to BBL procedures paints a concerning picture of a cosmetic trend with deadly consequences. Community awareness and regulatory oversight are crucial to preventing more lives from being lost in similar ways.

By telling Rosa’s story, we remember her as more than just a statistic -- we recognize her service, her aspirations, and the care she deserved.