Paloma Nicole Arellano Escobedo, 14, died on September 20, 2025, in Tijuana following complications from a clandestine breast augmentation allegedly arranged by her mother’s boyfriend.
Her father, Carlos Arellano, said he only learned of the surgery after her funeral. He grew suspicious when her death certificate, which cited “cerebral edema from a respiratory illness,” was issued unusually fast.
“Her death certificate falsely stated an illness as the cause of death in an attempt to cover up the truth,” Carlos alleged.
At the funeral, relatives remarked that Paloma’s chest looked different. When Carlos requested a private moment, he and close family inspected her body.
“Sure enough, she had breast implants. We have photographs of the implants and the scars,” he told investigators, demanding an autopsy.
Authorities later identified the surgeon as Dr. Víctor Manuel, a 45-year-old plastic surgeon from Durango, reportedly in a relationship with Paloma’s mother. The Mexican Association of Plastic, Aesthetic, and Reconstructive Surgeons has suspended his license while investigations continue.
