The head of a New York holistic wellness clinic is facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of a 27-year-old woman who died an hour after he gave her an anti-aging injection at his practice, prosecutors said.
Luis Rojas Cabrera, of Passaic, New Jersey, allegedly ran his clinic in the Bronx without having a required medical license, according to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office.
In addition to second-degree murder, Cabrera, 56, has been indicted on charges of second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, first-degree reckless endangerment and unauthorized practice in connection with the death of Elizabeth Baron, the office said in a Wednesday, October 7, news release.
He allegedly killed Baron with a NAD+ injection at his clinic, Bereshit Lifestyle Center, on July 19, according to authorities. The injection was said to have rendered her unconscious, sending her to a hospital where she died about an hour later.
“This defendant was allegedly operating a medical clinic even though he was not licensed to practice medicine in New York State,” Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said in a statement. “A young woman seeking health benefits instead had her life cut tragically short.”
Clark vowed to get justice for Baron’s family.
The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner found Baron died of cardiac air embolism, when air gets inside blood vessels and prevents blood flow, according to the district attorney’s office.
Her death was “due to the introduction of air into the intravenous catheter inserted into the victim” for the anti-aging injection, the office said.
Cabrera’s clinic is now listed as permanently closed on Google.
According to the clinic’s website, Cabrera represented himself as Dr. Luis A. Rojas, a surgeon and naturopath who “uses his years of experience and knowledge to integrate natural medicine and natural therapies to achieve well-being.”
He is originally from the Dominican Republic and held an esthetician license in the U.S., not a medical license, according to authorities, CBS News New York reported.
Cabrera is represented by attorney Donald Vogelman, who said in a statement to the outlet that the second-degree murder offense his client faces is considered “depraved indifference murder,” describing the charge as “outrageous.”
“There is no case ever in New York state 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 if the patient lived or died. The fact he called 911 and performed CPR shows that he did care and that it was an unfortunate accident.”
During Cabrera’s arraignment on Tuesday, October 6, his bail was set at $2 million cash/$7 million bond, according to the district attorney’s office.
He’s pleaded not guilty, records show.
