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The head of a New York holistic wellness clinic is facing a charge of second-degree murder in the death of a 27-year-old woman who died an hour after he gave her anti-aging injections at his practice, prosecutors said.
Luis Rojas Cabreraof Passaic, New Jersey, allegedly ran a clinic in the Bronx without a required medical license, according to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office.
In addition to second-degree murder, Cabrera, 56, was charged with second-degree murder, criminally negligent homicide, first-degree reckless endangerment and unauthorized use in connection with death. Elizabeth Baronthe office said in a press release on Wednesday, October 7.
He allegedly killed Baron with an injection of NAD+ at his clinic, the Bereshit Lifestyle Center, on July 19, according to authorities. It was said that the injection left her unconscious, sending her to hospital where she died about an hour later.
“This defendant allegedly operated a medical clinic even though he was not licensed to practice medicine in New York State,” said the Bronx District Attorney. Darcel D. Clark said in a statement. “Instead a young woman seeking health benefits had her life tragically cut short.”
Clark vowed to get justice for the Baron’s family.
The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found Baron died of a cardiac air embolism, when air gets into blood vessels and blocks blood flow, according to the district attorney’s office.
Her death “was the result of air being introduced into the intravenous catheter that was inserted into the victim” for the anti-aging injection, the office said.
Cabrera’s clinic is now listed as permanently closed on Google.
Michael Patrick Gallagher, who worked as medical director for Luxe Medspa in Wortham, Texas, was charged with manslaughter after client Jenifer Cleveland died while allegedly receiving an “IV cocktail” from the medspa’s owner, Amber Johnson. Gallagher was arrested and charged with one count each of murder, manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, as well. […]
According to the clinic’s website, Cabrera represented himself as Dr. Luis A. Rojassurgeon and naturopath who “uses his years of experience and knowledge to integrate natural medicine and natural remedies to achieve wellness.”
He is originally from the Dominican Republic and had an esthetician’s license in the US, not a medical license, according to authorities, CBS News New York reported.
Cabrera is represented by an attorney Donald Vogelmanwho said in a statement to the revolution that the crime of murder in the second degree that his client is facing is considered a “murder of poor indifference,” describing the charge as “horrific”.
“There has never been a case in the state of New York under these facts where anyone has been convicted,” Vogelman told CBS News New York. “The law is clear that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not care whether the patient lived or died. The fact that he called 911 and performed CPR shows that he cared and that it was an unfortunate accident.”
When Cabrera was arraigned on Tuesday, Oct. 6, his bail was set at $2 million cash/$7 million bond, according to the district attorney’s office.
He has pleaded not guilty, records show.
