By SÍLE MOLONEY

DR. LUIS ROJAS, as he appears on the website, drluisrojas, the homepage for which reads, “Welcome to Bereshit Lifestyle Center,” a center located at 3190 Riverdale Avenue in the border of Kingsbridge and Riverdale in The Bronx, where on Sunday, July 19, 2026, a 27-year-old woman fell unconscious and later died.
Source: www.drluisrojas

The Office of the Bronx District Attorney announced Tuesday, July 21, that following his arrest on Sunday, July 19, 55-year-old Luis Rojas Cabrera of Passaic, New Jersey was arraigned at Bronx Criminal Court at midnight on Monday, July 20.

 

As reported, he has been charged with reckless endangerment and unauthorized practice of profession after a 27-year-old woman was found unconscious at a wellness center on the border of the Kingsbridge and Riverdale sections of The Bronx on Sunday, July 19, and died.

 

According to one police source, the woman was a customer / patient of Bereshit Wellness Center, where she was found unconscious. The website for the center is www.drluisrojas.com.

 

The People did not request bail because the Assistant District Attorney wants to await autopsy findings, according to the Bronx DA’s office. He is due back in court in September. The People requested that he surrender his passport and the request was granted by the presiding judge.

 

According to the criminal complaint [in part] at around noon inside 3190 Riverdale Avenue, at Bereshit Lifestyle Center,  Rojas Cabrera recklessly engaged “in conduct which created a grave risk of death to another person, under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life.”

 

The grounds for the charges are that police stated, based upon official investigation, the defendant’s statements, and witnesses known to the NYPD, that, at Bereshit Lifestyle Center on Sunday, July 19, Rojas Cabrera infused nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide aka NAD+ into the body of Elizabeth Baron by inserting an intravenous line into her right hand, without a medical license or any other legal authority to do
so.

 

According to the National Library of Medicine, “Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is indispensable for the regulation of biological metabolism. Previous studies have revealed its role in aging and degenerative diseases, while crucially showing that supplementation with NAD+ or its precursors could ameliorate or reverse the progression of aging.” According to verywellhealth.com, it is distinct from “Botox.”

 

Very Well Health reports that while Botox is a localized cosmetic injection that physically paralyzes muscles to prevent creasing, NAD+ is a cellular fuel, and although NAD+ is often offered in medical spas and wellness clinics for purported anti-aging and “glow” benefits, it works systemically from the inside out and is not an FDA-approved cosmetic injectable.

 

The police also stated that administering nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide aka NAD+ via intravenous therapy in New York State requires a prescription from a licensed medical professional authorized to prescribe such treatment and the defendant did administer said  treatment without such treatment being ordered by a licensed medical professional.

BERESHIT LIFESTYLE CENTER, located at 3190 Riverdale Avenue on the border of Kingsbridge and Riverdale in The Bronx, was seen closed on Monday, July 20, 2026.
Photo by Síle Moloney

Police said the Rojas Cabrera stated in sum and substance, “I gave her a NAD+IV. She went [unconscious] immediately. I called 911. I am a doctor in the Dominican Republic. I have a PA license in Puerto Rico. I am not a licensed doctor in New York. My application is pending. I only have an esthetician license.”

 

Police further stated that the defendant was unable to produce any legal authority to administer or prescribe the NAD+ via intravenous therapy and that he observed Elizabeth Baron inside a local hospital with an IV catheter in her right hand with IV tubing attached to it.

 

Police were informed by Dr. Eugene Kim that Elizabeth Baron was pronounced dead at 1:09 p.m. on Sunday, July 19, and said the defendant said in sum and substance, “I made a very big mistake. I need to call my family because I have a feeling I will not be home for a while.”

 

As reported, a New York State department (DOS) spokesperson said on Monday, July 20, that in January of this year, it was announced that over 200 inspections conducted statewide of “Med Spa Service Providers” had resulted in suspensions, revocations, and fines. In the announcement, it was noted that improper services have caused serious injuries and added that a business that is promoting itself as a ‘med spa’ or offering ‘med spa’ services MUST be licensed as a medical facility and licensed professionals must be performing the services.

 

See below for more information on how to file complaints for anyone who has concerns regarding such spas:

Know how to file complaints: Consumers need to file complaints with the appropriate authority.

 

The Bereshit Lifestyle Center is not described as a spa on its website. It’s described by the website, Yelp, as among the top 10 naturopathic/holistic entities. Meanwhile, services offered at the center, according to its own website, drluisrojas.com, include a weight loss and detox program, a wellness kit, “RemedeMD,” hydrotherapy, geotherapy, aromatherapy, spinal stretching, urinalysis, saliva analysis, hair mineral analysis, genetic testing, and consultations, including video consultations.

 

Meanwhile, NYC Department of Health provided the following information regarding “Botox” safety.

 

Botulinum Toxin Injection Safety

Getting botulinum toxin (“Botox”) from unlicensed people or from people using counterfeit or fake products can pose serious health risks.

Since 2024, cases of severe reactions, including the rare and sometimes fatal disease botulism, have been linked to unlicensed botulinum toxin administration, “do-it-yourself” injections, and counterfeit botulinum toxin products in NYC. These severe reactions have led to hospitalizations and intensive care admissions.

To protect your health, receive botulinum toxin injections only from licensed medical professionals authorized to prescribe and administer these treatments.

Safety Tips

If you are considering a botulinum toxin injection for a medical condition or cosmetic reason (such as for wrinkles):

Ask your provider if they are licensed and trained to give the injection.
Do not accept injections from unlicensed providers.

Ask if the botulinum toxin product being used is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and obtained from a reliable source.

Botulinum toxin injections are available under brands like Botox, Daxxify, Dysport, Jeuveau, and Xeomin.
Ask to see the medication vial used for the injection.

Avoid suspicious businesses advertising botulinum toxin injections at unusually low prices or outside medical settings.
When in doubt, do not get the injection.

After getting a botulinum toxin injection:

 

Who Can Prescribe and Administer Botulinum Toxin Injections

Under New York state law, Botox and other botulinum toxin injections may be given only by trained, licensed professionals who regularly perform this type of care. To confirm that the person giving your injection is a licensed professional, go to the New York State Professional Verification Search online. Select “Search by Name” and select the provider’s profession to find their license information.

The following providers (license codes in parentheses) are licensed to give botulinum toxin injections:

Physicians (060)
Physician assistants (023)
Nurse practitioners (029)
Dentists (050)
Podiatrists (070)
Registered nurses (022)
Licensed practical nurses (010)

 

Aestheticians and cosmetologists are not licensed to practice medicine. Administering botulinum toxin injections likely constitutes the practice of medicine under New York law. Engaging in the practice of medicine without a medical license can result in criminal charges, including felony penalties.

Additional Resources

 

Rojas Cabrera is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law. The Bereshit Lifestyle Center is currently closed.

 

Click here to read our original story on Baron’s death, including the feedback Norwood News has received to date from various City and State authorities.

 

Click here to read our prior story about an abortion clinic in the Morris Park section of The Bronx which closed in March 2024, with seemingly no explanation.

 

As reported, on Monday, July 20, a 35-year-old man was stabbed in the vicinity of the center and remains hospitalized in critical condition. It’s unknown if the two incidents are related. Police are investigating and said the mobilization point (for police) for the stabbing was at the address for the center at 3190 Riverdale Avenue but the stabbing occurred in its vicinity.

MAJOR CRIME STATISTICS for the 50th Precinct for the 28-day period ending July 12, 2026, compared to last year (left), and year-to-date major crime statistics for the 50th Precinct as of July 12, 2026, compared to last year (right). This precinct covers some or all of Kingsbridge, Fieldston, Riverdale, Marble Hill, and Spuyten Duyvil.
Source: NYPD / CompStat

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips.

 

All calls are strictly confidential.