A British mother-of-two has died tragically in Turkey following what she believed would be life-changing cosmetic surgery. Kaydell Brown, a 38-year-old hairdresser from Sheffield, spent £5,400 on a Brazilian butt lift, tummy tuck and breast enhancement.
His sister Leanne, 40, who was due to have the same procedure, has slammed the Istanbul clinic, branding it a “pop-up butcher shop that needs to be closed”. The Foreign Office has reported that since 2019, 28 Britons have lost their lives due to cosmetic surgery in Turkey.
In a heartbreaking story, the bereaved sister of the dead mother revealed her anxiety and disbelief. Kaydell Brown had recently celebrated her 38th birthday when she traveled to Istanbul for what was dubbed a ‘mummy MOT’.
In a poignant interview with ITV News, Leanne, who accompanied her sister to the clinic, told how she was suddenly handed an envelope of cash as a refund and hurriedly boarded the next flight home shortly after being told of her sister’s death. She expressed her shock: “It’s like, ‘Sorry he’s dead, here’s your plane ticket,'” the Mirror reported.
Kaydell Brown rebuilt her life and hoped cosmetic surgery would help (Photo: Daily Mirror )
Leanne has decided to raise awareness of the risks involved and called for the clinic to be closed. She explained that Kaydell had hoped the surgeries would help her regain control of her life after gaining significant weight due to an ankle injury. The sisters had both worked hard to save the £5,400 needed for the surgeries, travel and accommodation.
Surgery abroad seemed a bargain compared to the £15,000 price tag at home as the two sisters landed in Turkey optimistic. Leanne said of their arrival: “He was really happy. He was excited. We were smiling, laughing and he just wanted to get there and get it done.”
However, joy turned to tragedy at ClinicExpert when Kaydell’s expected five-hour operation stretched to 10 hours, culminating not in victory but in defeat at 7:20 p.m. The devastating outcome was relayed to Leanne, who was next in surgery by the same doctor, that her sister had died after surgery. According to medical personnel, attempts to revive Kaydell were futile; they suspected a fat embolism in his lungs.
Devastated Leanne, one of Kaydell’s two siblings, later told ITV the harrowing story: ‘She went into surgery at around 9.30am and that was the last time I saw her.
Leanne said she was refused permission to see her sister’s body (Photo: Daily Mirror )
“They told me that night he wasn’t going to make it. I couldn’t believe it. I was still in the room waiting for him to come back. I had asked a few times how long he was going to be and they kept saying, ‘He’s coming.’ And then I got a knock on the door and three people walked in and said, “Can you come with us?”
When Leanne asked if her sister was dead, she was told “sorry but yes”. Leanne said: “They handed me an envelope and said, ‘This is your money back and this is your sister’s money back and this is your flight.’
Leanne said she was refused permission to see her sister’s body. The next day, Leanne returned to the airport confused, alone and in tears as she headed home. Kaydell’s body was returned to Britain three days later, parts of her heart missing. A pathologist in the UK has examined some of his body tissue, and an inquest into the death opened in Sheffield on Friday.
Leanne and Kaydell Kaydell Brown (Photo: Daily Mirror )
Coroner Marilyn Whittle said: “We are still investigating the death. We need more information.”
The inquest was adjourned until February 28 for a case management review, but Whittle assured the family he hoped it could be heard before that date. He added: “I hope we can get the answers we need for you.”
After the hearing, Leanne revealed: “You can’t hide things anymore and they know what happened now, it’s just gathering evidence.” Kaydell’s death on March 26 is believed to have been caused by blood reaching his lungs.
His two sons, aged 12 and 16, now live with their father. Leanne described Kaydell, who is based in Sheffield, as “loving and caring”.
Kaydell before her surgery (Photo: Daily Mirror )
She said the plastic surgery “meant a lot” to Kaydell, who “didn’t feel like herself” after gaining weight. Leanne explained: “She broke her ankle, it really got her down, she had to digest it. So she gained weight and was in pain.
“So she thought ‘mummy’s MOT’ would give her confidence and get her back on track. She wasn’t feeling attractive and this was what she was going for… to get her life back. She wanted her old one. She was more than excited.”
Leanne said the family were left with many questions, adding: “When they recovered his body, they kept pieces of his heart and intestines.”
When asked by the Mirror and ITV about Kaydell’s death, clinic bosses said “the cause can only be identified by the coroner’s office” but their “conclusion” pointed to a “fat embolus blocking a blood vessel in the lung”.
The preliminary investigation was adjourned until February 28 for a case management review (Photo: Daily Mirror )
The company stated that this is a globally recognized complication of liposuction surgery. They further explained, “There are complications [the] an unwanted and unexpected result of surgery… They are not malpractices. We are very saddened by the loss of Kaydell, but we also have nothing to hide.”
When asked about the missing organs, they claimed the body was handed over “intact,” adding, “The government doctor examined the body in our operating theater and found no missing organs.”
They suggested it is “highly possible” that the government coroner’s office removed the organs “to determine the cause of death.” The company added: “ClinicExpert has performed cosmetic surgeries on Turkish and international patients [for] 13 years. It performed just over 23,000 cosmetic surgeries.
Kaydell Brown on a flight with sister Leanne to Turkey (Photo: Daily Mirror )
“Unfortunately, we lost two cosmetic surgery patients in 13 years. Two is a very large number for us and the patients’ relatives. But two over 23,000 is a mortality rate of 0.000087. This number is far below the international averages in the most developed countries and in the most advanced hospitals.
“Our medical director and medical board reviewed the case. We found no wrongdoing in the loss of Kaydell.”
They said the surgeon who performed the operation is now working elsewhere. The British government said: “Our sympathies go out to the family of Kaydell Brown. “The UK government has been actively engaging with the Turkish government on how to support the safety of patients who… travel to Turkey for medical treatment. We would urge anyone considering cosmetic procedures abroad to familiarize themselves with the treatment, the clinician’s qualifications and the regulations of the country of travel. Leanne said of her sister: “I miss talking to her with her. She was the funny one and she was a good mother.”
The report is due to air on Monday at 6.30pm as part of the ITV News bulletins and will be available on ITVX.
