Bronx clinic founder arrested for homicide after woman’s death during an ‘anti-aging’ procedure by NYPD.
The founder of an unlicensed wellness clinic in the Bronx has been arrested on charges of depraved indifference homicide following the death of a 27-year-old woman during a botched medical procedure. Luis Rojas Cabrera, aged 55, faces severe legal repercussions after the passing of Elizabeth Baron, whose death on July 19 has since been classified as a homicide by city officials.
Cabrera’s charges were expanded after authorities linked his actions to Baron’s fatal cardiac air embolism. This condition reportedly arose following an injection of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a substance marketed under the guise of an anti-aging therapy, administered at the Bereshit Lifestyle Center located on Riverdale Avenue near West 232nd Street. According to reports, Baron experienced immediate medical distress post-injection.
Emergency medical services were called to the scene, and Baron was transported to New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital. Unfortunately, medical personnel were unable to revive her, leading to the subsequent investigation and Cabrera’s arrest. Initially, he was charged with reckless endangerment and unauthorized medical practice. However, as more details emerged regarding the circumstances of Baron’s death, the prosecutor’s office formally reclassified the charges.
While Cabrera holds a medical license in the Dominican Republic, he was not legally authorized to practice in the United States. Following his arraignment for reckless endangerment, he was released without bail but ordered to surrender his passport, highlighting the seriousness of the ongoing investigation.
In court, Cabrera reportedly expressed remorse for what he described as “a very big mistake.” However, his defense attorney contends that the classification of the death as homicide should not heavily impact the case, arguing that the legal definition encompasses unintentional fatal outcomes.
Cabrera’s clinic continued operations online well after Baron’s tragic incident, portraying him as a certified surgeon and naturopath. Notably, records indicate that Cabrera had prior legal issues upon returning from the Dominican Republic, including incidents involving possession of a metal baton and a significant cache of prescription medications, which were later dismissed.
As this case unfolds, it underscores the critical importance of regulatory oversight in health care practices, particularly within alternative and holistic medicine, to ensure patient safety and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
