Carlos Arellano
Paloma Nicole Arellano
Paloma Nicole Arellano ended up losing her life following cosmetic surgeries carried out by her stepfather and mother. The case is sparking a political debate in Mexico about tightening regulations.
The death of a teenager who underwent cosmetic surgery has sparked outrage and concern in Mexico — and prompted authorities to promise strengthen controls about such procedures in minors.
Paloma Nicole Arellano Escobedo, aged 14, died on September 20 in a private clinic in the State of Durango, Mexico.
Her father, who has been separated from her mother for years, reported to authorities that the death occurred after cosmetic surgery authorized only by his ex-wife, Paloma Escobedo, who is the girl’s mother.
The teenager went through breast implants and fat transfer for the glutes, performed by surgeon Víctor Manuel Rosales, who is also the girl’s mother’s partner.
After several days in Intensive Care, Paloma Nicole was declared brain dead.
“I want my daughter’s case to not end like this. Those who did this to my daughter should pay, should pay with prison time. Because they didn’t just end her life,” said her father, Carlos Arellano, in an interview with Jorge Arroyo, a surgeon who runs an online channel for medical cases and who brought the case to light last week.
Repercussion of the case
The teenager’s death sparked widespread debate about cosmetic procedures for minors.
State and federal parliamentarians announced that they will propose the “Nicole Law”, aimed at adjusting regulations and avoid similar cases.
Mexican plastic surgeon Mauro Armenta, a specialist in reconstructive microsurgery from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, explains that plastic and reconstructive surgeries do not present any more risks than other planned interventions.
“A complication can occur to anyone. Therefore, we must be very cautious when identifying the cause of death. Sometimes, the person may have a condition that is not detected in pre-operative exams and which can lead to a serious complication”, he warns.
However, the expert tells BBC News Mundo that it is not recommended to carry out these procedures on teenagers, as their emotional and psychological development is still in the transformation phase. Furthermore, it is necessary to have full authorization from those responsible.
“When it comes to teenagers, you have to have the consent of both parents and that they know the risks and benefits. Based on this, there is no problem in carrying out the procedure. There is no minimum age [para fazer]but it is necessary to work carefully in this process”, he states.
The review of rules and laws could be positive, the surgeon who revealed the case, Jorge Arroyo, tells BBC News Mundo, as Mexico is the third country in the world in the number of plastic surgeries, considering all age groups. “It is an issue that no one paid due attention“says Arroyo.
“There are other types of plastic surgeries, such as in children with cleft palate or some congenital malformation syndrome, which, of course, require surgical intervention”, adds Arroyo.
“She was a happy girl”
Carlos Arellano explains that he separated from his wife when Paloma Nicole was 4 years old. Since then, he has maintained joint custody and has always been in contact with his daughter.
“She was a happy girl. Happy with your body, with your smile, happy with your life. I was about to turn 15 years old. Everything was ready for the party. Another of his dreams was to visit Europe, and the trip was already planned”, says Arellano in an interview with doctor Arroyo.
According to the father, his daughter “at no point” expressed a desire to undergo cosmetic surgery.
The teenager played sports and, in March of this year, she was champion with the volleyball team in a school tournament.
On September 11, her mother informed her father that the teenager had tested positive for covid-19 and even sent him the positive result of the laboratory test. The mother said that her daughter would remain incommunicado, as she would rest in an isolated house in the Durango mountains.
According to Arellano, the following day the teenager underwent cosmetic surgery performed by her ex-wife’s partner.
Three days later, on the 15th, Arellano was informed that his daughter was in serious condition in the intensive care unit (ICU). She underwent an induced coma and intubation due to severe brain inflammation. “I was devastatedI fell apart because I didn’t know why I was like that,” says Arellano.
“They were covering her entire body, with pillows around it, everything was very covered. I thought it was strange, but Only later did I discover the truth“, reports the father, who noticed that his daughter was wearing a surgical bra unrelated to Covid-19 or the diagnosed brain inflammation.
The doctors did not inform him about any cosmetic surgery. Paloma Nicole’s health condition worsened and she died on the 20th.
Arellano says that, at first, he found it strange that the prosecutor’s office was trying to perform an autopsy, since it was not a judicial case. He denied removing the body and organized his own funeral.
“I had doubts, I decided to examine it and I realized the girl had implants“, says Arellano. The next day, he notified the prosecutor’s office so that the autopsy could be carried out.
According to Sonia Yadira de la Garza, attorney general of Durango, the first investigations confirmed that the covid-19 test had been falsifiedbased on a positive test of Paloma Nicole carried out in 2022.
Paloma Escobedo, the mother, was also investigated for “usurpation of profession”, for performing surgeries without preparation or official accreditation. She was listed in her daughter’s surgical record as a “participant” in nursing, the attorney general informed the local press.
In turn, surgeon Víctor Manuel Rosales faces accusations of medical negligence and for having usurped the authority of the father when signing the consent as guardian of the minor, despite not occupying that position.
Surgeon Jorge Arroyo explains that, in Mexico, there is no legal restriction on the possibility of a patient undergoing surgery by a direct or indirect relative, no minimum age for cosmetic surgeries like teenager Paloma Nicole.
“There is no contraindication regarding age, as long as the procedure is carried out by a professional with adequate training. In fact, Mexico is a reference in plastic surgery in Latin America”, he adds.
Regulation of surgeries
In addition to publicly denouncing his ex-wife and the surgeon, the teenager’s father organized protests demanding justice in Durango.
The case was mentioned in the press conference of the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, who last week stated that the government would provide the necessary “monitoring”.
In the Federal Congress, Senator Gina Campuzano González presented the “Nicole Law”, which prohibits “merely aesthetic” procedures in minors and allows reconstructive surgeries only under stricter clinical controls.
“No consenting adult can authorize what the law prohibits. Childhood cannot be negotiated“, said the Durango parliamentarian. Other parliamentarians also announced similar initiatives.
Surgeon Mauro Armenta emphasizes that plastic surgery is not just for aesthetic improvement, but also for people who have suffered injuries, illnesses or even harassment due to some physical aspect.
For the expert, the central issue is the development of a young person’s personality.
“It’s about the intellectual and emotional development that they must have. Adolescents have no defined criteria: one day they like something, the next they don’t. In this process, they discover their personality, which is why it is not recommended to undergo cosmetic surgery,” says Armenta.
Armenta guarantees that, in Mexico, “surgery in teenagers is not so common, there is not a boom”, in part due to family cohesion that limits younger people. He reinforces that it is recommended to use accredited professionals: “To reduce risks, anyone should look for certified plastic surgeons”.
And he warns: “Even if they are, tragedies like this can happen“.
