MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. \u2014 An Ohio woman who traveled to South Florida for cosmetic surgery died after becoming critically ill while recovering at a Miami-Dade assisted living facility, according to state and law enforcement records obtained by Local 10 News.<\/p>\n
Nubia Arelly Sanchez Lopez, 38, traveled from Ohio to Miami in June for cosmetic surgery. She underwent a Brazilian butt lift, liposuction and breast augmentation on June 16 at 305 Plastic Surgery in Doral, according to a Miami-Dade Sheriff\u2019s Office investigative report.<\/p>\n
After the procedures, she was taken to Stevens Grandparents Inc., a six-bed assisted living facility in Miami-Dade County licensed to provide \u201climited nursing services.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three days after her surgery, Sanchez Lopez became dizzy, weak and fainted, according to an emergency suspension order issued by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.<\/p>\n
About 40 minutes later, she developed severe difficulty breathing.<\/p>\n
AHCA said facility staff contacted an \u201con-call\u201d nurse. At the nurse\u2019s direction, staff checked Sanchez Lopez\u2019s vital signs and recorded an oxygen saturation level of 58%. The nurse instructed staff to call 911.<\/p>\n
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded after Sanchez Lopez went into cardiac arrest. First responders found people performing CPR on her and took her to Kendall Regional Hospital in critical condition, according to the Sheriff\u2019s Office report.<\/p>\n
A hospital charge nurse told investigators that Sanchez Lopez suffered multiple cardiac arrests and that her stomach was \u201cflooded with blood\u201d before she was pronounced dead.<\/p>\n
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner\u2019s Office determined Sanchez Lopez died from complications of cosmetic surgery and classified her death as accidental.<\/p>\n
AHCA suspends facility\u2019s license<\/p>\n
Following the incident, AHCA issued an emergency suspension of Stevens Grandparents\u2019 license and removed four other patients who were recovering from cosmetic procedures at the facility.<\/p>\n
The agency cited several concerns about the facility\u2019s care and response.<\/p>\n
AHCA said some vital signs taken after Sanchez Lopez arrived at the facility were not documented in her medical record. The agency also said her resident file did not contain postsurgical care instructions.<\/p>\n
The emergency order further stated that staff members working during the incident did not have valid first aid and CPR certifications.<\/p>\n
According to AHCA, the facility had a policy requiring residents, rather than staff, to call 911. The agency said the policy was intended to avoid potential financial liability.<\/p>\n
Sanchez Lopez\u2019s husband, Kevin Diaz, told investigators that \u201csomeone\u201d used his wife\u2019s cellphone to make the 911 call.<\/p>\n
Questions over postsurgical recovery facilities<\/p>\n
Stevens Grandparents was licensed as an assisted living facility with a \u201climited nursing services\u201d license.<\/p>\n
Before Sanchez Lopez\u2019s death, State Rep. Felicia Simone Robinson, D-Miami Gardens, introduced legislation seeking to create a separate regulatory framework for postsurgical recovery homes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis person should not have died. All of the signs were there,\u201d Robinson told Local 10 News.<\/p>\n
Simone Robinson\u2019s bill, House Bill 81, would have created a specific licensing category for postsurgical recovery homes, including requirements involving staffing, medical oversight and penalties for violations.<\/p>\n
The bill was filed in October 2025 and received its first reading in January 2026. Simone Robinson said the bill was never heard.<\/p>\n
Robinson said an assisted living license is not appropriate for facilities caring for patients immediately after major surgery.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough the place was licensed, it wasn\u2019t the appropriate license,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cThey need to have at minimum a nurse, LPN on the low scale, preferably an RN.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robinson said she intends to continue pursuing legislation addressing postsurgical recovery facilities.<\/p>\n
Facility had prior citations<\/p>\n
State inspection records show Stevens Grandparents had previously been cited for deficiencies, including during an inspection in March 2023 and additional inspections in June, September and November 2025.<\/p>\n
Florida corporate records identify Zenen A. Bernal as an officer of Stevens Grandparents Inc. State health care records also identify Bernal as the administrator, financial officer and 100% controlling owner of another six-bed assisted living facility, Angelina ALF LLC.<\/p>\n
When Local 10 News visited the Stevens Grandparents property, Yani Gil said she was a realtor involved in selling the property and had worked as an assisted living consultant.<\/p>\n
Gil\u2019s name also appears in state records connected to Bernal and his businesses dating back to 2024.<\/p>\n
Gil disputed AHCA\u2019s findings and defended Stevens Grandparents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have their version of what they saw,\u201d Gil told Local 10 News. \u201cThat\u2019s not grounds to shut down. You can\u2019t shut down without an investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n
AHCA and the Miami-Dade Sheriff\u2019s Office investigated the circumstances surrounding Sanchez Lopez\u2019s death and the conditions at the facility.<\/p>\n
Questions about the surgeon<\/p>\n
Local 10 News contacted 305 Plastic Surgery seeking information about Sanchez Lopez\u2019s postsurgical care and whether the practice recommended Stevens Grandparents as a recovery location. No representative agreed to speak on the record.<\/p>\n
The surgeon identified in the Sheriff\u2019s Office report, Dr. Fermin Morales, is also the subject of a separate administrative complaint filed by the Florida Department of Health in 2025 involving another patient and an unrelated procedure.<\/p>\n
According to the Department of Health complaint, that patient died following a 2023 cosmetic procedure performed by Morales. The complaint alleges Morales violated Florida\u2019s rules governing gluteal fat grafting.<\/p>\n
The complaint is an allegation by the state and is separate from the investigation into Sanchez Lopez\u2019s death. State records show Morales\u2019 Florida medical license remains active and do not show a final disciplinary finding related to that complaint.<\/p>\n
Sanchez Lopez\u2019s family declined to comment.<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfe0 News From Your Neighborhood<\/p>\n
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