The shocking death of 14-year-old Paloma Nicole in Durango has stirred public outrage and prompted
a judicial investigation into medical negligence and parental consent.
It began when Paloma’s mother told her father, Carlos Arellano, they were traveling to the mountains
to isolate after a COVID-19 scare. Days later, Carlos received a devastating call — his daughter was
hospitalized in critical condition at Clínica Santa María. She was placed in an induced coma after suffering
cardiorespiratory arrest and severe brain damage. Despite brief signs of recovery, Paloma was declared brain-dead on September 20.
Carlos later discovered his daughter had undergone cosmetic surgery without his consent, allegedly performed by Dr. V.M.M.R.G.,
the son of a magistrate, and possibly in collusion with Paloma’s mother. He claimed the death certificate
falsely cited “illness” and that surgical scars confirmed unauthorized procedures.
The Durango State Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation and ordered a full autopsy.
Results will determine the cause of death and potential criminal negligence.
Hundreds attended Paloma’s funeral, where her father vowed to seek justice. Her case has reignited
national debate over cosmetic surgeries on minors and the urgent need for stronger medical consent laws in Mexico.