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Dr Benjamin Brown performed plastic surgery on his wife Hillary. He ended up killing her.

A plastic surgeon has been charged with manslaughter after his wife, Hillary Ellington Brown, went into cardiac arrest during a procedure he was performing late last year. 

Investigators have been looking into her passing for months, revealing that there was allegedly a delay contacting emergency services.

Florida-based Benjamin Brown, age 41, was taken into custody on Monday on charges second-degree felony homicide, specifically negligent manslaughter, as reported by the sheriff's office.

Watch: I asked "The Doll Maker" what she'd do to my face. Post continues below.


Video via Mamamia.

Following his arrest, he was released from the Santa Rosa County Jail upon posting a US$50,000 (AU$75,000) bond.

Brown's lawyer has announced that he plans to enter a plea of not guilty.

What happened to Hillary Brown?

"Dr. Brown intends to plead not guilty and vigorously fight the allegations against him in court," his attorney, Barry Beroset, said.

According to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Hillary Brown experienced cardiac arrest last November while undergoing procedures conducted by her husband at his clinic, Restore Plastic Surgery. She was subsequently hospitalised but passed away a week later.

"After an extensive investigation in conjunction with the District One Medical Examiner’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office, our detectives requested a warrant for the arrest of Dr. Benjamin Brown," the sheriff's office said.

In response, the Florida Department of Health submitted an administrative complaint to the state Board of Medicine last month. 

This complaint seeks various penalties against Brown, including the possible suspension or revocation of his medical license, and addresses not only his wife's case but also other incidents.

The Health Department reports that on November 21, 2023, Brown carried out several procedures on Hillary, including scar revision, arm liposuction, lip injections, and ear adjustments. 

It is alleged that Hillary prepared her own IV bags and consumed a "handful of multi-coloured pills," including Valium, before these procedures.

The department also noted that Brown failed to document the contents of the IV bag accurately and did not record the pills at all.

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While undergoing the procedures, Hillary allegedly experienced twitching in her feet and mentioned to her husband that her vision was becoming blurry and she was seeing an "orange" colour. 

In response, the report states Brown administered an additional dose of the anesthetic lidocaine to her face. The Department of Health adds that she subsequently became unresponsive and suffered a seizure.

"Restlessness, muscle twitches, and blurred vision are all early signs of lidocaine toxicity," wrote the health department in a document.

According to the complaint, a medical assistant suggested calling 911, but Brown dismissed the idea. 

Per the investigation, over the following 10 to 20 minutes, the medical assistant repeatedly asked if they should call for emergency assistance, but Brown either refused or asked them to wait.

Eventually, Brown requested that an assistant contact 911.

Emergency responders transported Hillary to a trauma centre where medical assessments revealed an elevated lactic acid level and indications of potential lidocaine toxicity. 

Despite medical efforts, she remained unconscious and tragically passed away on November 28, 2023.

At the time, Brown posted to social media about his partner's condition. 

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"We need prayers for a miracle. Hillary had a cardiac arrest on Tuesday afternoon. We called 911 and started CPR. Her heart came back but her brain is not doing well," he wrote. 

"She has been in a coma since she went unconscious on Tuesday. Hillary Ellington Brown you are my soulmate, my world, my everything. Please come back. Please!"

Only a month ago, The Department of Health mandated that Brown exclusively conduct surgeries within a hospital setting under the supervision of another physician. 

This directive stemmed from his wife's unauthorised administration of injections and performance of laser treatments. 

Restore Plastic Surgery is shown to be "permanently closed" on Google.

Hillary Brown had a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and was a mother to three children through a previous relationship. Her friends described her as a loving and doting mother. 

Per the Pensacola News JournalBenjamin and Hillary had been dating since 2021 and married in June 2022. Hillary's father told the publication that they had a "volatile" relationship. 

"She was gorgeous. We kept telling her, ‘Why are you doing this?'" he said.

Feature Image: Instagram.