Owners of beauty salon in model death case freed on bail

KUALA LUMPUR: Two owners of a beauty salon who were detained over a botched liposuction that allegedly caused a model’s death have been freed on police bail.

The mother and daughter were remanded on Monday following 23-year-old Coco Siew’s death here on Saturday.

Both were released on police bail after their remand expired yesterday.

“We referred the investigation paper (IP) to the deputy public prosecutor today (yesterday) with a recommendation to charge, ” Kuala Lumpur CID chief Senior Asst Comm Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said when contacted yesterday.

He said the woman and the daughter could be charged under Section 304A of the Penal Code for causing death by negligence.

The Health Ministry has also conducted its own investigation, he added.

Siew died when undergoing liposuction that allegedly went awry at the salon in Cheras, which reportedly was not licensed to carry out medical procedures.

The model, who was to get married at the end of the year, was rushed to hospital after her heart rate slowed following an anaesthetic injection on her arms at about 2.30pm.

She died at 5pm at the hospital.

Siew, the youngest of three siblings, is said to have led a healthy and fit lifestyle and came first in an Asian modelling competition in 2014.

The tragic case broke the hearts of her loved ones and highlighted once more the risks of going to unqualified personnel for medical procedures.

The bride-to-be is said to have wanted to look good for her wedding and opted for liposuction.

Siew’s cousin had said her marriage plans were earlier deferred due to Covid-19.