Costa Rican authorities are investigating the death of a 57-year-old Canadian woman who died yesterday morning at a cosmetic surgery clinic in San José, where she had reportedly returned for a follow-up appointment after undergoing a procedure earlier this month. The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) confirmed that the woman, identified by the surname Gariepy, died on October 22 inside a private clinic in Barrio México, near Paseo Colón in the capital.
Investigators received the report at approximately 11:36 a.m. and dispatched officers to the establishment, located near the Juan Rafael Mora Porras School. Preliminary information indicates that the Canadian woman underwent a cosmetic procedure on October 5, approximately two and a half weeks before her death. She had returned to the clinic Thursday for what authorities described as a routine follow-up appointment.
It remains unclear what happened during that visit or whether her death was connected to the earlier procedure. Emergency responders arrived at the clinic yesterday morning after receiving reports of a medical emergency. Witnesses in the neighborhood reported seeing ambulances and police vehicles outside the building.
Medical personnel were unable to save the woman, and investigators subsequently arrived to examine the scene and collect information about the circumstances surrounding her death. The woman’s body was transferred to the judicial morgue, where forensic specialists will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
The OIJ has classified the case as a death under investigation. Authorities have not announced any criminal charges or established whether medical negligence played a role. Investigators have also not disclosed the type of cosmetic procedure the woman underwent, whether she experienced complications before Thursday’s appointment or how long she had been in Costa Rica.
The case comes amid renewed concerns about safety standards at private cosmetic surgery clinics in the country. Earlier this year, three women died following cosmetic procedures at clinics in the San José area, prompting investigations and warnings from medical authorities. In January, Cinthya Carvajal Guevara, 48, died following a procedure at a clinic in Rohrmoser. Two other women, Ivannia Torres, 40, and Regina Brumley Kerr, 43, also died after experiencing complications associated with cosmetic procedures.
Those cases prompted the Costa Rican College of Physicians and Surgeons to remind patients that doctors performing plastic surgery should have the appropriate specialized training and credentials. The organization has repeatedly warned that being registered as a general physician does not automatically qualify a doctor to perform complex cosmetic surgery.
Costa Rica has developed a substantial medical tourism industry, attracting international patients seeking dental care, cosmetic procedures and other medical treatments. Many foreign patients travel to the country because treatment can be considerably less expensive than in the United States or Canada.
However, medical professionals emphasize that patients should carefully research clinics and surgeons before undergoing procedures, particularly when the treatment involves anesthesia, surgery or an extended recovery period. The College of Physicians and Surgeons maintains an online registry where patients can verify whether a doctor is licensed and holds the appropriate medical specialty.
Patients are also encouraged to confirm that clinics have the necessary operating permits, appropriate medical equipment and arrangements for emergency treatment if complications arise. The latest case has not resulted in any public finding that the clinic or its medical personnel violated those requirements.
As of now, investigators have not released the autopsy findings or provided additional details about the woman’s medical history. The investigation will seek to establish what caused her death, whether it was related to the procedure performed earlier in October and whether any circumstances require further action by judicial or health authorities.
For now, the cause of the Canadian woman’s death remains undetermined.
