Woman charged with after fatal back-alley surgery

A woman who assisted in a back-alley buttock augmentation operation that left a mother-of-one dead has been charged with manslaughter.

Allison Spence, 44, of Queens, New York, was arrested for the manslaughter and unauthorised practice of a profession following the death of Latesha Bynum, 31.

Ms Bynum underwent the ‘butt-lift’ surgery –  where silicone is injected into the patients buttocks to give a larger, rounder look – on July 15 and called emergency services later in the evening complaining of dizziness and chest pains.

Medics rushed her to Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Medical Center, where doctors declared her brain-dead. Two weeks later she was taken off life support. 

The mother-of-one waited in a Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant before being escorted to the to meet the doctor who performed the fatal surgery by Spence.  

Ms Bynum’s mother Bertie Bynum, 51, told the Daily News following the arrest: ‘They took my daughter. She should be in jail. She should do life.’

Spences’ sister, Lisa, 46, admitted that her sister had no medical qualifications.

‘My sister just massaged the body muscles where got injected – she never injected nobody.’

Ms Bynum (pictured) underwent the ‘butt-lift’ surgery – where silicone is injected into the patients buttocks to give a larger, rounder look – and called emergency services later with dizziness and chest pains. She passed out and was taken off life support a fortnight later

Lisa suggested the blame should be entirely on the doctor who Allison Spence dated as a teenager.

‘Detectives are looking for him.’ Lisa Spence said. ‘They have his mugshot. (He) has done this for a long time. She told us they had a place in the city that they rented.’ 

Spences’ grandmother attempted to defend her relation claiming she would have no involvement in the crime and instead worked in an office. 

She also ran a catering business with her grandmother’s help, her family said. 

Spence is due to be arraigned on Friday September 29.