FOOT FREE FALL RIDE. LAST WEEK HIS PARENTS SUED THE RIDES OWN AND LANDLORD ACCUSING
THEM OF BEING NEGLIGENT.
>> Eden: INTO THE GROWING NUMBER
OF UNREGULATED AND UNLICENSED
PROPERTIES HOUSING SURGICAL
PATIENTS.
THERE ARE OTHER 100 SIMILAR
PROPERTIES PUTTING WOMEN AT RISK
RIGHT NOW.
>> Calvin: AND LOCAL 10
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SPOKE
EXCLUSIVELY WITH WOMEN WHO SAID
THEY WERE LOOKED TO FEND FOR
THEMSELVES IN DEPLORABLE
CONDITIONS.
>> YOU KNOW SOMETIMES YOU JUST
SAY I MADE A BAD DECISION.
THIS IS A BAD DECISION FOR ME.
>> I AM FULLY TRAUMATIZED RIGHT
NOW.
>> WOMEN WHO TRAVEL HERE FOR
COSMETIC SURGERY SPEAKING TO
LOCAL 10.
ABOUT THE NIGHTMARE THEY
EXPERIENCED AFTER PAYING FOR
POSTOPERATIVE CARE IN A SO
CALLED RECOVERY HOUSE.
>> BY THE NEXT DAY WAKING UP,
YOU REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT
QUITE WHAT YOU THINK IT IS.
>> YEAH, THERE’S A HOUSE, OF 15
OTHERS.
ONLY ONE OR TWO CARE GIVES AT A
TIME.
>> SOME ASKED NOT TO BE ON
CAMERA, BUT SAID THEY WERE
REFERRED TO STAY FOLLOWING
INVASIVE PROCEDURES.
TOLD NURSES WOULD BE THERE TO
CARE FOR THEM, INSTEAD THEY SAY
WORKERS SPOKE NO ENGLISH.
AND TRIBED UNSANITARY CONDITIONS
INCLUDING MOLD, ROACHES, AND
THEIR LAUNDRY WASHED WITH HARSH
CHEMICAL CLEANERS.
>> ONE OF THE YOUNG LADIES WAS
FED UP AND SHE CALLED THE POLICE
COME TO FIND OUT THE FACILITY IS
NOT EVEN LICENSED.
>> POLICE RESPONDED ON APRIL 15
ING TO THE HOUSE LOCATED
IN THE BROWNSVILLE AREA.
THE PEOPLE WORKING INSIDE TOOK
OFF, LEAVING THE PATIENT WHOSE
PAID OVER $1,000 FOR SIX NIGHTS
TO PHONED FOR THEMSELVES.
FIRST THEY SAY SOMEONE SHUT OFF
WATER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
>> WHICH MEANS WE CAN’T FLUSH
THE TOILET, WE CAN’T WASH OUR
HANDS.
WE ALL JUST HAD MAJOR SURGERY.
>> MIND YOU WE WERE ALL NAKED.
BECAUSE WE ARE SO HOT, TWO BIG
HUGE GUYS AND A GIRL COME IN
BUSTING FLU THE DOOR, LIKE WHAT
THE HELD ARE YOU DOING HERE.
YOU ARE TRESPASSING, NOBODY IS
SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.
>> THERE ARE SPECIFIC DETAILS IN
THIS CASE WHICH WE AREN’T REPORT
ING AT THIS TIME, AND
THAT’S BECAUSE THIS IS AN ON
GOING SENSITIVE INVESTIGATION.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SIT DOWN FOR
THE FIRST TIME WITH THE MEDICAL
CRIMES UNIT, THE FIRST AGENCY IN
THE STATE TO MAKE ARRESTS IN
RECOVERY HOUSE CASES.
>> I BELIEVE THAT EVERY WOMAN
THAT GOES INTO ONE OF THOSE UN
LICENSED LIVING FACILITIES ARE
IN DANGER.
>> WE REPORTED WOMEN HAVE DIED.
LIKE ROCHELLE, A YOUNG MOTHER OF
TWO WHO PASSED AWAY IN AUGUST,
AFTER COMPLICATIONS LES THAN 24
HOURS AFTER SURGERY WHILE IN A
MIAMI RECOVERY HOUSE.
THIS INVESTIGATOR ASKED US NOT
TO IDENTIFY HIM, SPEAKING ONLY
WITH LOCAL 10 ABOUT THE SUMMER
IN PROPERTIES OPERATING AS UN
LICENSED ASSISTED LIVING
FACILITIES.
>> SOME OF THEM DO ADVERTISE
THEY HAVE NURSES ON DUTY.
THEY DON’T HAVE NURSES.
WE HAVE NEVER SEEN A NURSE ON
DUTY.
>> WHO IS GENERALLY WORKING?
>> JUST REGULAR PEOPLE THAT ARE
LOOKING FOR WORK.
>> THEY ARE COMPLETELY UN
LICENSED.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.
I DON’T KNOW IF THEY ARE JUST
LIKE HOUSEKEEPERS.
>> SOME PATIENTS LIKE THIS WOMAN
NAMED JENNIFER WERE EVENTUALLY
MOVED TO A NEARBY HOTEL LEFT
ALONE WITHOUT CARE JUST DAYS
AFTER SURGERY.
I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO PASS
OUT, IN THE BOOK OF A VAN LIKE
THIS, LAYING ON YOUR STOMACH,
NEXT TO SOMEONE ELSE.
BOTH OF US PANICKING BECAUSE WE
FEEL LIKE WE ARE DYING.
>> 99.5% OF THEM HAVE SAID YES.
MIAMI DADE’S MEDICAL CRIME UNIT
IS PART OF THE ORGANIZED CRIMES
BUREAU, TASKED WITH
INVESTIGATING UNLICENSED MEDICAL
CARE.
POLICE HAVE MADE ARRESTS OF
THOSE ACCUSED OF OPERATING AND
PROFITING FROM THE ILLEGAL
HOUSING.
>> THEY SAY YOU DIDN’T HAVE A
LICENSE.
>> BUT SAY THEY ARE PARTNER
WITHING STATE AGENCIES AND THEIR
INVESTIGATIONS COULD EXPAND.
>> SLOWLY WE ARE END FOOING
OTHER AVENUES.
OTHERS LAWS THAT MAY BE BROKEN.
SO IT IS BRANCHING OUT.
WE TAKE THESE TYPE OF CRIMES
SERIOUS, BECAUSE WOMEN ARE DYING
AND COULD POTENTIALLY DIE.
THAT, TO ME, THAT’S THE BOTTOM
LINE.
>> IT IS REALLY YOU ARE TAKING
YOUR CHANCES TYPE OF THING.
>> LOCAL10 NEWS.
>> Calvin: AT LEAST ONE OF THE
WOMEN WE INTERVIEWED IS NOW IN
THE HOSPITAL AND WILL REQUIRE
SURGERY DUE TO SERIOUS
COMPLICATIONS.
DETECTIVE SAYS THE OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF THE PATIENTS STAYING
IN RECOVERY HOMES TRAVEL FROM
OTHER STATES CREATING A LARGE
DEMAND FOR PLACES TO RECOVER.
BUT WITH NO REGULATIONS IN PLACE