Dilay Escalante took care of the big family when they helped them move from Venezuela to Miami.
“I started studying thanks to her. I started finding a job thanks to her,” said her brother, Davis Escalante.
To make their lives better, Delay entered the real estate business with Theinna Shepherd, wife of Willard Shepherd at NBC6.
“Delay was my business partner, my best friend, and my sister in life,” Taina said.
Despite the beauty of Delay, Taina said a 46-year-old realtor wanted change. She visited Colombia on April 20, and in 2015 she underwent gastric bypass surgery by Dr. Carlos Sales Puccini, who performed the same surgery.
Delay’s aunt Xihomara Contreras went with her. She told NBC6 Dilay that she left a reassuring consultation with her doctor that she would be well in three days.
According to medical records, Delay was admitted to the “Reina Catalina” clinic in Barranquilla on April 21st. According to records, she entered the operating room “in good condition” at 3 pm, got her “stomach sleeve” and was released as well. Day.
“I later talked to them, and I expressed concern that there was no delay left, even a 24-hour observation,” Taina said, and Delay was in surgery. Immediately after I started vomiting.
Her family continued to complain of pain and was unable to control the water, so doctors sent her to his office for endoscopic dilation (a procedure that stretches part of the esophagus) for three consecutive days. I told you to come.
Taina talked to her before the end.
“She was very afraid of the procedure, and … she wanted it to work,” Tainna said.
But it didn’t stop the pain.
On April 28, Delay left a message to the doctor’s assistant at 5 am, stating that he was incapable of taking the radiographs ordered by the doctor.
“… I’m sorry for the time being, but it’s very painful … I need to get the doctor to send me something I can put in the IV so that I can walk … I can’t do anything because I passed it now. Go out on the street.” I can hear the delay saying.
Her family said Dr. Sales Puccini arrived at the apartment three hours later, saw her in very bad condition and was heading to the clinic to prepare the operating room.
“He left. He left her. He didn’t call an ambulance. He left,’I met me at the hospital,'” said Tainna.
A family friend, Oscar Abiles, drove the delay to a doctor-ordered clinic, but she soon declined and took her to a nearby hospital where she died. Was declared.
“There is no doubt about the surgery,” Puccini told NBC 6 in a chat on WhatsApp. “Stomach re-intervention … the stomach was narrow, endoscopic dilation was done, and progress was good.”
He also said that Delay “did not receive” the X-rays he requested.
Delay’s aunt immediately went to the local prosecutor to file a complaint.
“… they learned … he has filed 11 complaints at the state prosecutor’s office,” Tainna said.
NBC 6 investigators told Dr. Sales Puccini the Colombian Supreme Court in 2021 after the death of a man after weight loss surgery, which the court said was not approved by the medical community. I found that I ordered to pay close to $ 500,000.
The surgery was done at another clinic.
The sign on the door of his office said he was a plastic surgeon, but those qualifications were questioned by the local public prosecutor’s office, who charged him with lying to the Ministry of Education about his research. It has been.
An NBC 6 investigator asked Dr. Sales Puccini about his qualifications and the allegations he was facing, but he did not respond.
“Why is he still active?” Taina said.
NBC 6 has contacted the “Reina Catalina” clinic but has not responded.
Tainna said he flew to Barranquilla to fly the remains of his friend home.
“For me, it’s very difficult and painful, but at the same time I have a mission. I need to understand what happened,” Tainna said.
Delay’s family and friends are waiting for her autopsy report to see what happened. They told NBC6 that they are sharing their story to warn others who are thinking of flying abroad to get such a procedure.
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