NSW beauty salon owner dies after botched breast surgery by unlicensed employee

The beauty salon owner who went into cardiac arrest while undergoing breast augmentation surgery by an unlicensed employee has died. The employee, a Chinese tourist, was facing 20 years’ jail for causing reckless grievous bodily harm and using poison to endanger life of Jean Huang. Her charges are now expected to be upgraded following the victim’s death.

On Wednesday, 33-year-old Jie Shao administered local anaesthesia and breast fillers to Huang, 35, at the Medi Beauty Laser and Contour Clinic in Chippendale, Sydney. However, Huang’s heart stopped during the procedure. She had to be taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where she was revived and remained in critical condition until her death on Friday.

Shao was found to be unlicensed in Australia. Although her solicitor, Mary Underwood, claimed that she was a graduate of Canton Medical University and is a dermatology specialist who had practiced in China and Great Britain, Shao is not a licensed medical practitioner in Australia.

She had arrived in the country in tourist visa just a few days before Huang’s procedure. Her visa will expire in November. She also had a plane ticket to return to China on Thursday. Magistrate Sharon Freund denied her bail application, calling her “clearly a flight risk and risk to the community.”

“She has made a number of admissions in relation to local anaesthetics and breast fillers,” Freund said. The court has heard (via AAP) that Shao admitted administering “an intoxicating substance, tramadol and lida caine (sic)” to Huang. “These are very serious charges with a maximum of 10 years in jail.”

Following Huang’s hospitalisation, Shao was charged with causing grievous bodily harm and using poison to endanger life. The Crown prosecutor said on Thursday that if Huang did not survive, Shao could face more serious charges.