A routine visit to a wellness clinic in New York has ended in tragedy.
A 27-year-old woman has died after receiving an anti-aging injection at a holistic center in the Bronx. Police have arrested the man who performed the procedure for practicing without a valid license.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about unlicensed beauty and wellness clinics operating in the city.
What Happened at the Bronx Clinic
According to the New York Police Department, the incident happened on Sunday afternoon at the Bereshit Lifestyle Center on Riverdale Avenue, near West 232nd Street.
The victim has been identified as Elizabeth Baron, 27. She reportedly fell unconscious around noon shortly after she was given an intravenous anti-aging treatment.
Staff at the center called for help. Baron was rushed to NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital. Doctors pronounced her dead at about 1:10 p.m.
The exact content of the injection is still being tested. The New York City Medical Examiner is conducting a toxicology report to determine the cause of death.
Unlicensed Doctor Arrested
Police arrested 55-year-old Luis Rojas Cabrera hours after the death.
NYPD charged him with reckless endangerment and unauthorized practice of a profession. He is not licensed to practice medicine in New York or anywhere in the United States.
Investigators say Rojas Cabrera is licensed as a surgeon and naturopath in the Dominican Republic. In the US, his website describes him only as a practitioner of alternative and holistic medicine.
Prosecutors told Bronx Criminal Court that he administered NAD+ through an IV. NAD+ is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a coenzyme used for energy and anti-aging therapy. Health experts say it requires a prescription and must be given by a licensed medical professional.
The Bereshit Lifestyle Center claims to offer natural medicine, weight loss and immunity boosting therapies.
History of Prior Arrests
Court records show this is not Rojas Cabrera’s first run-in with law enforcement.
Prosecutors revealed he was arrested at Newark Airport on November 6, 2025, with a metal baton in his bag while returning from the Dominican Republic.
Days later, he was arrested again at the same airport with almost 200 prescription drug files, over 30 tablets and 10 syringes of lidocaine without authorization.
Court Grants Release Without Bail
Rojas Cabrera was arraigned on Monday night at Bronx Criminal Court before Judge Craig Ortner.
The judge ordered him released without bail but directed him to surrender his passport within 48 hours.
Prosecutors said they could not request bail yet because the autopsy result is still pending. The charges could be upgraded to manslaughter or homicide depending on what the toxicology report shows.
He is expected to return to court on September 9.
Victim and Family Reaction
Baron lived less than two miles from the clinic at Skyview On The Hudson and worked in Upper Manhattan.
Her neighbour, Paula Schaap, described her as a beautiful and healthy young woman who regularly went to the gym.
"I’m so shocked. She seemed very healthy. She always looked beautiful," Schaap told the New York Post. The family has asked for privacy.
Rojas Cabrera’s son, Luis Rojas Cabrera Jr., defended his father at the courthouse. He described him as a good man and a good doctor and said he was shocked by the allegations.
Online reviews of the clinic on Yelp had previously called the doctor a scammer and con artist, but those claims were never investigated until now.
The NYPD says investigation is still ongoing.
.jpeg)
0 Comments