Suspect Charged Four Years After Half-Naked Woman Was Left at Bronx Hospital Following Buttock Injections

A 47-year-old woman has been charged with criminally negligent homicide more than four and a half years after mother-of-two Maxine Messam, 53, was left unconscious and half-naked at a Bronx hospital following alleged illegal buttock injections.

New York City police say Alicia 'Toya' Leslie, of Mount Vernon, injected Ms Messam with a silicone substance during an unlicensed cosmetic procedure in February 2022, which they allege contributed to her death.

Ms Messam, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was brought to Jacobi Medical Center shortly before 2am on 15 February 2022. Police said two women placed her on a gurney, told staff they had found her in distress outside Woodlawn Cemetery, then left. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

What Police Say Happened

According to the criminal complaint, Leslie, also known as Toya, allegedly injected a silicone substance into Ms Messam's body to augment her buttocks. Prosecutors allege she had no licence to practise medicine or cosmetic surgery.

The Bronx District Attorney's indictment alleges the injection took place at an unspecified location in Westchester County. Prosecutors allege that Leslie caused Ms Messam's death by administering the substance for cosmetic augmentation.

Law enforcement sources cited by the New York Post said investigators found text messages that allegedly showed Leslie and Ms Messam arranging to meet in Yonkers for the procedure on 15 February 2022. The messages have not been publicly released.

Ms Messam had multiple apparent injection marks on her buttocks when she arrived at Jacobi. Police said she was unconscious, unresponsive and missing her trousers.

The Unanswered Questions at the Hospital

Police said two women brought Ms Messam into Jacobi Medical Center and told staff they had found her in distress near Woodlawn Cemetery.

Law enforcement sources told the New York Post that Leslie and a second woman drove Ms Messam to the hospital and then left in a van. The second woman has not been charged.

It is not clear from available records why Ms Messam was without trousers or where she was when she became unresponsive. IBTimes UK cannot independently verify the allegations, and the charges remain allegations until they are tested in court.

Charges and Court Appearance

Leslie was arrested on Friday 16 October and charged with criminally negligent homicide and unauthorised practice of a profession, according to the NYPD. She was arraigned in Bronx Criminal Supreme Court before Judge Pamela Goldsmith.

She was granted supervised release and is due back in court on 4 November. Her lawyer, Kyle Watters, told the New York Daily News that she denies the allegations.

Leslie's prior record includes petit larceny charges from the 1990s and a 2000 Midtown case, according to law enforcement sources cited in the original report. Those earlier matters are not connected to the allegations involving Ms Messam.

Growing Concerns Over Underground Cosmetic Injections

Federal agencies have reported an increase in unlicensed providers offering illegal silicone injections in New York, Florida, Texas and California, and at least a dozen people have died in recent years after such procedures.

Silicone that migrates beyond the injection site can cause a blood-vessel blockage, stroke, infection or death, according to official safety warnings. Medical authorities say the substance can move unpredictably through the body once injected.

There have been several comparable prosecutions. In 2017, Tamira Mobley pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault in connection with the 2013 death of Tamara Blaine, a 22-year-old college student who died after receiving silicone injections in her buttocks.

In 2021, Lisa Fernandez was charged with manslaughter over an unlicensed silicone injection that killed Marja McClendon of St Louis.

Last year, a California woman described in court reports as 'the butt lady' was found guilty of murdering 'Married... with Children' actress Cindyana Santangelo during an injection session.

What Happens Next in the Leslie Case

Leslie's November court date is the next scheduled step in the case. Prosecutors are expected to present evidence including the alleged text exchange, the indictment's account of the injection and the medical findings from Jacobi.

The charge follows an investigation that began after Ms Messam was taken to hospital. The outcome of the case will be determined by the courts.