Posted on 06/18/2024 6:43:27 AM PDT by Red Badger
A plastic surgeon in the Florida panhandle faces a manslaughter charge regarding his wife’s post-surgery death, authorities announced Monday.
Officers of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office (SRCSO) arrested and charged Dr. Benjamin Brown, 41, with “manslaughter by Culpable Negligence” Monday, the SRCSO said. The arrest followed “an extensive investigation in conjunction with the District One Medical Examiner’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office” into the Nov. 28, 2023 death of Hillary Ellington Brown, according to the statement.
Hillary Brown went into cardiac arrest at Brown’s hospital, Restore Plastic Surgery, Nov. 21, 2023, according to the statement. Reportedly moved to a local hospital with the help of SRCSO deputies who responded to the medical emergency, Hillary Brown was eventually placed on life support and then passed on.
Brown remains in custody until his “first appearance where a bond will be determined by a judge and State Attorney’s Office,” the SRCSO said.
The investigation into the cause and manner of death—warranted “when the death was unexpected or the death occurs under unusual circumstances”—began after Hillary Brown’s death, is ongoing, and usually takes several months, according to the SRCSO.
Brown was operating on Hillary Brown just before she experienced seizures and then suffered a cardiac arrest, the Pensacola News Journal (PNJ) reported. The 9-1-1 call note indicated Hillary Brown was “overmedicated”, according to the outlet.
Brown reportedly announced via social media Nov. 24, 2023: “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. 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!”
“We want answers,” an aggrieved Marty Ellington—the deceased’s father—said, according to the New York Post. “We haven’t been given answers. If it’s a mistake, it was a mistake, but it doesn’t bring my daughter back.”
“I don’t want his money. I don’t want anything. All I want is an answer because I think that we owe that to my daughter,” he reportedly added.
Brown reportedly told Marty and his wife Dixie Ellington that he had run out of the medication he usually used and thus had put Hillary on a different one. Marty Ellington reportedly queried why Brown did not have more staff and emergency equipment to handle the situation.
Marty and Dixie Ellington also alleged that Brown also had Hillary Brown perform procedures on other patients that she was not qualified to perform, PNJ reported.
Former patient Wendy Carden alleged in a still-open lawsuit that Brown unilaterally used “foreign materials” in a post-mastectomy reconstructive breast surgery on her, occasioning infection and sepsis, according to PNJ.
Some other patients also made troubling allegations, with one saying in part, “[T]hat man has to be stopped,” according to a separate PNJ report.
Republican Pensacola Rep. Michelle Salzman reportedly considered the complaints from former patients and employees of Brown and pushed for an investigation by the Florida Department of Health.
Google lists Restore Plastic Surgery, based in Gulf Breeze, as “Permanently closed”.
Bridge was replaced 10 years ago — no go uppy or downy no more
George not really from N.E. anymore — central Florida 24/7
inland with pool
My job had me in Florida during peak summer heat a couple of times. Not enjoyable. Would not retire there.
It makes no sense.
My nephew is a full fledged doctor now. Incredible hard work.
In outpatient surgical settings especially in office based, the plastic surgeon can direct an RN and administer the anesthesia under his name.
yeah it’s not very nice there for folks that aren’t heat seekers like me-
It’s so built up over there now. It doesn’t much resemble the place we used to take our kids every summer. I think watching the Madeira/John’s Pass area become over-developed is part of the reason I was on a mission to find “Old Florida” this past week when we were there.
I’m happy to report that we did indeed find it! We based ourselves in Crystal River (thanks to a Mudcrutch song- listen to the live version if you get a chance!) and found some neat drives in Ozello and Homosassa Springs. Even CR had its quaint municipal parks with beach areas.
On our drive back to Gainesville, we took the scenic route, and went through Dunnellon and Rainbow Springs, then went to Cross Creek. No more high rise buildings! Plenty of dirt roads, and the odd car pulled over with someone leaning over a small bridge to fish for dinner. I needed that. Mr. FF loved seeing it, too. Reminded us of when we were first dating and he came to my house to meet my parents and family.
I am happy for some modern conveniences, but I sure enjoy not being hurried all the time.
1 word: Sopchoppy..............
Some of my family is in the Winter Haven, Lakeland, Lake Wales, Auburndale area. The furthest south is a sister in St. Pete.
Only one has a pool. The others sure could use having one!
Want to to read the legal complaint? Quite a story.
Its Case 2023-51255. His license while he still has it is 122557.
If the complaint is accurate he is a major F*** up.
https://mqa-internet.doh.state.fl.us/MQASearchServices/EnforcementActionsPractitioner
Lol, I had to look that up! ;)
When you go to a doctor, any doctor, you do not know if he graduated medical school at the top of his class, in the middle or the very bottom.
Like the old joke:
What do you call the guy that graduates at the bottom of the medical school class?
DOCTOR.....................
Blanton section of Dade City 33523
Year round , average, cows, shoot on property
9 grandkids within 20 minutes
I know! There are two many Browns in this poorly written article.
Oh wait. The dead patient was the wife of the doctor. Hmmm.
I think Dixie was the mother of the woman who died.
yeah it was confusing- gonna be a case to watch for sure- sounds like he was corrupt, and who knows, maybe it was intentional-
I haven’t been to Dade City since I was in HS. Had some distant cousins that lived there. There’s a certain comfort in Central Florida. My brother calls it “Real Florida”. ;)
average = acreage
That's what's called "hospital psychosis". Has happened to my husband twice and the last time he was literally crazy and uncontrollable for 30 hours in the hospital. We took him home against doctor's advice and it lasted for another 18 hours at home. He finally crashed and slept for 24 hours straight and woke up in his right mind, thank God.
Now we know not to let him be admitted unless it's life or death.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.