14-Year-Old Girl Died After Plastic Surgery – What Happened to Paloma Nicole Without Her Father's Knowledge

An unexpected case in Durango has raised questions about medical and family responsibility. The death of an adolescent girl led to complaints and opened an ongoing judicial process. The story of Paloma Nicole reveals contradictions, testimonies, and a constant demand for justice.

An event that began with the news of an alleged COVID-19 infection took an unexpected turn in a matter of days.

Paloma Nicole's mother assured that they would travel to the mountains of Durango to isolate themselves, without communication due to a lack of signal. The father, Carlos Arellano, trusted this explanation, without imagining that he would soon receive a call that would change everything.

How did Paloma Nicole's case begin?

On September 11, Carlos Arellano received a call from his daughter's mother. She explained that Paloma Nicole had tested positive for COVID-19 at school, so they would be isolated for a few days in the mountains of Durango. She also warned him that there would probably be no signal in the area.

"My girl's mother told me that they were going to the mountains the next day, that they were going to be there for about four days, in case I dialed her, that I shouldn't panic, that nothing happened. I am left with the idea that the girl is in the mountains," said the father.

At the time, Carlos did not suspect anything out of the ordinary. However, a few days later the situation would take an unexpected turn when he received another call that would mark the beginning of the tragedy.

What happened during the hospitalization?

On September 15, Carlos Arellano was notified that his daughter was hospitalized at Clínica Santa María in serious condition. "She tells me that the girl is in bad shape, that she is very serious, that she is hospitalized," he said.

When she arrived at the hospital, she found her daughter in an induced coma and intubated, after having suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest that seriously affected her brain. "The truth, I didn't know any more. I could no longer talk to my daughter, she was already in a coma, there was no way," she stated in an interview.

For several days, the medical staff tried to stabilize her. On September 19, doctors decided to deintubate her when they observed some signs of improvement. "There was movement in her hand, she held my hand, she was able to turn her head sideways," Carlos said.

However, that same night Paloma Nicole's condition worsened again. The brain swelling was described as "very serious, terminal". Finally, on September 20, doctors diagnosed brain death.

What did the father reveal after his daughter's death?

The father publicly denounced that his daughter underwent cosmetic surgery without his consent. On social networks he wrote:

"Justice for Paloma Nicole! My daughter, Paloma Nicole Arellano Escobedo, just 14 years old, fell victim of an act of criminal negligence in a clinic on Fénix Street. On September 12 she was subjected, without my consent, to cosmetic surgery by Dr. V. M. M. R. G., son of magistrate V.M.R. L., in complicity with her mother P.J. E. Q.".

In the same publication he pointed out that the death certificate "falsely stated 'illness' as the cause of death, in an attempt to cover up the truth". In addition, he demanded that the doctor, the mother and the hospital be investigated.

The discovery of surgical scars on the child's body during the wake reinforced the suspicion that she had been operated on without parental authorization.

What did the Durango State Prosecutor's Office report?

The State Attorney General's Office confirmed that the minor was admitted with respiratory problems. However, following the father's complaint, an investigation was opened.

An official statement said: "On September 21, the father of the teenager presented himself before the State Attorney General's Office stating that he wanted to file a complaint and that he wanted the necropsy protocol to be performed on the teenager, since he had found out and had verified that the minor had undergone cosmetic surgery without his consent".

The Prosecutor's Office also explained that "it is important that the pathological report is performed in order to have the definitive and scientific determination of the necropsy due to the passage of time and that the body was already prepared, which is why it is sent to the pathology area of the hospital... and it takes between ten and twenty days for the result to be obtained".

According to reports, the doctor involved in the case is the teenager's stepfather, which further complicates the family and judicial environment of the facts.

How was Paloma Nicole's farewell?

On September 22, in the Cathedral of Durango, the funeral of the teenager was held. Hundreds of people attended to accompany the family and say goodbye to the minor.

Images shared on social networks showed Carlos Arellano clinging to his daughter's coffin, amid tears and slogans for justice.

In another post, the father shared a message: "Our lives changed forever the day you left for heaven. With a heart full of pain, but also with gratitude for all your light in our lives, we want to invite you to join us in a triduum of masses to honor the memory of my beloved daughter. Your presence and prayers will be an invaluable comfort at this time."

The atmosphere at the ceremony reflected both the pain of the loss and the social demand for clarification of what happened.

What is the current status of the investigation?

So far, the authorities continue to analyze the clinical file, the signed consents and the hospital's responsibilities. The pathology report will be key to confirm the cause of death.

The investigation is ongoing and seeks to establish whether there was medical negligence, as well as to determine the legal responsibility of the physician and those involved in the authorization of the procedure.

The case has generated a debate about cosmetic surgeries on minors, as well as the need to reinforce consent protocols in private clinics.