- 'Unlicensed medical practitioner' sought for administering silicone injection which killed Claudia Aderotimi
- Transgender woman suspect 'well known' in Philadelphia and believed to have had similar procedure during sex change
- Tip off came after police raided home of 'fixer' in New Jersey who introduced student to 'doctor'
- 20-year-old believed to have met surgeon on chat forum for people interested in plastic surgery
- Injection was a ‘top up’ for previous procedure had in November
Detectives are hunting a transgender woman in connection with the death of a British student who died after a botched 'butt enhancement' operation.
Claudia Aderotimi, 20, is believed to have had the illegal procedure carried out by an unlicensed medical practioner in a hotel room in Philadelphia after meeting her in a plastic surgery chat room.
The transgender woman, in her 30s, had a similar procedure herself as part of a sex change operation to become a woman.
'Russian Roulette': Claudia Aderotimi, 20, is believed to have had silicone injected into her buttocks by an unlicensed medical practitioner
Sudden death: The London student had travelled to Philadelphia for a 'butt enhancement', which is illegal in the U.S. and UK
Police have established the identity of the suspect after raiding the home of a 'fixer' in New Jersey who had introduced the London-based student to the 'doctor'.
She is said to be well-known among the Africa-American community in Philadelphia, where 'butt enhancements' are popular.
A police source told the Evening Standard: 'There is a thriving trade in these sort of procedures and the injectors travel from state to state.'
Legitimate surgical techniques including silicone implants cost around £7,000, leading some to seek out cheaper injections. The procedure is illegal in the U.S. and UK.
If convicted, the suspect faces involuntary manslaughter charges which could lead to 10 years in jail.
Image conscious: Friends said Miss Aderotimi was desperate to obtain the perfect curvy figure and had been rejected from one Hip Hop video for wearing padded trousers
Aspiring dancer: Friends claimed Miss Aderotimi was the victim of social pressure to have a larger bottom
Miss Aderotimi have believed a 'bigger booty' would help her wish to appear in more music videos, according to her distraught friends.
The aspiring dancer - stagename Carmella London - was dropped from one shoot because directors discovered she had been wearing padded trousers to help enlarge her bottom.
Talent scout Tee Ali, who met the Thames Valley University student when she filmed a video, told The Sun: 'The problem was she didn't have no butt, and she wanted a butt.
'She went to audition for one video shoot wearing fake booty pants and she got all the attention.
'But when they found out it was fake she didn't get asked back.'
Miss Aderotimi developed chest pains and struggled for breath 12 hours after she had the illegal silicone injections at the budget hotel.
She was rushed to hospital, but could not be saved.
Aspirations: The student had hoped to become a Hip Hop star and had previously auditioned for parts in music videos
Botched: The 20-year-old died after the silicone leaked into her bloodstream, resulting in heart failure
A preliminary examination found the silicone filler had leaked into her bloodstream, leading to heart failure.
Detectives are investigating whether she was treated with cheaper 'industrial' silicone, normally used as a sealant, rather than the medical-grade material used in breast implants.
It was not the first time she had undergone the procedure. She is believed to have been treated in November and the latest injection on Monday may have been a 'top-up'.
Bootylicious: Nicki Minaj has become almost as famous for her posterior as for her voice
She had travelled from London to Philadelphia with three friends for the treatment, thought to have been an early present for her 21st birthday.
Buttock enhancement surgery is becoming popular in the U.S., among women who aspire to the shapely curves of Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce and singer Nicki Minaj.
Minaj has become almost as famous for her posterior as for her voice, and rumours have spread across the web that the Massive Attack singer underwent surgery or uses pads to boost her bum, especially on urban gossip sites such as Bossip and mediatakeout.com. She denies having had surgery.
The illusion of a larger backside has become increasingly more fashionable among young women since the rise of the 'Hip Hop Honey' phenomenon.
A bigger behind has become almost a prerequisite for any aspiring dancer wanting to make it on the music video scene.
But the hip hop industry has come under fire for objectifying women in music videos where dancers - or Hip Hop Honeys - chasing fame can often leave themselves open to financial and sexual exploitation.
And in their desperation to beat off the competition, many resort to surgery to get ahead.
'Top up' procedures are only legal when the silicone gel is contained and sealed within an implant. But illegal injections of the material are also widely available from unlicensed back-room medics.
Last night one expert said having a direct injection of silicone gel – long outlawed in the U.S. and Britain, even for breast surgery – is 'like playing Russian roulette'.
One of Miss Aderotimi's friends is said to have had the same procedure but survived. Experts warned the silicone could still prove lethal for her in the future if not removed.
Death: The woman died at the Hampton Inn in Philadelphia after having an injection in her buttocks
Investigation: A Philadelphia detective leaves the hotel where Claudia Aderotimi was staying, clutching an envelope with mugshots inside
Tragedy: One of Miss Aderotimi's friends also underwent a similar procedure, but survived
Last night more than a dozen distraught friends and family gathered at Miss Aderotimi's home in Hackney, East London.
Her sister Vivian was in tears as she said: 'We found out on Tuesday. We're still in shock. We need to think about what we have to do.'
Miss Aderotimi had the buttock injections on Monday – thought to have cost around £1,300 – while her friend had the same procedure along with a hip enhancement treatment.
The 'doctor' who injected the silicone left soon after and was not there when Miss Aderotimi began complaining of chest pains.
Yesterday detectives raided the home of a woman they believed set up the illegal operation.
Computer files, emails and telephone records were seized from the house in Bergen County, New Jersey.
Emails from Miss Aderotimi arranging the procedure were among the material seized, but police said no formal arrests had yet been made.
Dr Rajiv Grover, president-elect of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said: 'Buttock augmentation isn't a very commonly done procedure here, which is probably why these girls have resorted to going abroad.
'If correctly done, it involves implanting solid silicone implants into the buttock just like breast implants.
'The correct procedure would be done in a fully equipped, sterile surgical theatre in a hospital and the patient would be fully anaesthetised.'
Comments