Relatives of Angélica Hernández demand justice six months after her death at an aesthetic clinic
Six months after the passing of 32-year-old Angélica Geraldine Hernández, following a surgical procedure at the La Diosa clinic, located in the Los Jardines Metropolitanos sector of Santiago, her loved ones continue their fight to obtain clear answers. The case, which shocked society, remains stalled in the investigation phase, causing frustration among the victim’s relatives.
Lawyer Pedro Domínguez Brito, legal representative of the family, has expressed his deep concern regarding the apparent inaction of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Santiago. According to the jurist, it is incomprehensible that, despite having conclusive reports from the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) and an official certification from the Ministry of Public Health confirming that the establishment did not have the necessary permits to perform plastic surgeries, an accusation against those responsible has not yet been formalized.
It is distressing that the Public Prosecutor’s Office has still not done anything, that there has been no indictment. The lack of sanctions creates a dangerous sense of impunity that could be encouraging other actors of medical malpractice to feel safe operating outside the law.
Pedro Domínguez Brito, family lawyer.
Inadequate treatment and lack of transparency reported
In addition to the procedural slowness, the legal team has denounced inconsiderate treatment toward the family members when they attempt to inquire about the progress of the file. Domínguez Brito pointed out that, on several occasions, the grieving parties have received inappropriate responses, feeling treated as if their presence were a nuisance to the local authorities.
- The clinical center was operating without the proper authorization for cosmetic surgery procedures.
- The technical reports from the Ministry of Public Health are already in the hands of the authorities.
- The family fears that the lack of legal consequences will encourage the proliferation of clandestine clinics.
The jurist clarified that his criticisms are focused exclusively on the handling of the case file in Santiago, acknowledging the efforts of the high-ranking officials of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to strengthen the institution. However, he emphasized that it is imperative to act firmly to set a necessary precedent.
This case highlights the urgency of stricter oversight in the country’s aesthetic centers. As long as justice is not served, Angélica Hernández’s family continues to wait for the judicial system to assume its responsibility, ensuring that the young woman’s death is not forgotten and serves to prevent future tragedies resulting from medical malpractice.
