CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Mariela Diaz says her 19-year-old daughter is but a shell of the fun-loving, spirited, young woman she was six months ago.
Now she spends her days carrying Linda around the house, feeding her, and reminding the young mother of the little boy who still calls her mommy.
"My morning was her," Diaz says. "With a smile on her face, 'Good morning, mama.' Now what she's become, she can't take care of herself, can't take care of her son, she can't hug me."
Perez was left brain damaged following complications during what should have been a routine breast augmentation.
It happened in August, at the Coral Gables Cosmetic Center.
The family's attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, blames doctors at the center for Perez's condition, accusing the facility of using outdated equipment and unqualified physicians and staff.
"What we do know is that over an hour elapsed before they ever called 911," he said.
The Coral Gables Cosmetic Center is on the third floor of a law office building on SW 27th Avenue and 18th Street in Miami.
Local 10's attempt to speak with Dr. Diaz on Monday afternoon failed. Workers asked us to leave the office. But in a statement, an attorney for the CGCC said the following:
"Our prayers go out to Ms. Perez and her family. CGCC has fully cooperated with all investigations into this matter and has conducted its own internal investigation as well. As part of that effort, CGCC requested all medical records from the patient's counsel regarding her subsequent treatment at Mercy Hospital, including her toxicology reports, but no documents have been turned over."
Attorney's for the Perez family say they've requested her medical records from Mercy Hospital and haven't received them yet. But they deny the young woman had any health problems before she went in for the procedure.
"It is their further attempt to deflect responsibility for their negligence and blame a victim they silenced," Eiglarsh said.