Miami-Dade County

Woman Arrested After 8 Patients Found in Illegal Post-Surgery Apartment: Miami-Dade PD

Maidelys Sanchez, 38, was arrested Tuesday for operating an assisted living facility without a license and other charges, Miami-Dade Police officials said

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A woman was arrested for allegedly running an illegal post-cosmetic surgery recovery center after police said they found eight patients recovering in a northwest Miami-Dade apartment.

Maidelys Sanchez, 38, was arrested Tuesday for operating an assisted living facility without a license and other charges, Miami-Dade Police officials said.

Police said their investigation began after they got a tip that a woman from out-of-state and had received cosmetic surgery was possibly being held against her will in a unit at the building at 7771 Northwest 7th Street.

Miami-Dade Corrections
Maidelys Sanchez

When investigators arrived at the home Tuesday afternoon, they met Sanchez, who gave them consent to enter.

Once inside, the officers found a "fully operational unlicensed recovery home/assisted living facility," police said in a news release.

Eight women who were in different stages of post-operative recovery were found in the home, police said.

When the women were interviewed by detectives, they said they'd received personal care that included bathing, dressing, eating, using the bathroom, personal hygiene, medication and transportation, police said.

The women said they'd been charged between $1,600 and $2,100 for the personal care, police said.

Three employees were also interviewed and told investigators they were paid in cash by Sanchez, police said.

Sanchez was arrested and booked into jail. Attorney information wasn't available.

Police said investigators from the Illegal Dumping Unit were summoned to dispose of all bio-hazard waste in the home.

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