A New York wellness centre founder is under arrest and facing charges for the death of a 27-year-old client after her treatment went wrong, reports News12The Bronx.
Luis Rojas Cabrera (56) turned himself in last week in connection with the death of Elizabeth Baron on 18 July.
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office said the charges include second degree murder, and manslaughter. The indictment claims Rojas Cabrera, “introduced air into an intravenous line” during the procedure, killing Baron.
According to the criminal complaint, Baron was receiving an NAD+ IV treatment at the Bereshit Lifestyle Centre, a wellness and anti-ageing clinic, when Rojas Cabrera said “she went unconscious immediately”.
The intravenous treatment delivers the co-enzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) directly into the bloodstream, the primary fuel used by the body for energy, and currently touted as a revolutionary, revitalising treatment to combat the effects of ageing.
In that same complaint, Rojas Cabrera admitted he was not licensed to practise medicine.
“I am a doctor in the Dominican Republic. I have a PA licence in Puerto Rico. I am not a licensed doctor in New York,” he said.
He is listed as the founder of the wellness centre, advertising himself on his website as a “naturopathic physician” and offering injectable therapies, including NAD+.
Police said Rojas Cabrera is facing charges for murder – depraved indifference, reckless endangerment, and unauthorised practise of profession.
He is due back in court on 27 October.
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians said that while the cause of death remains under investigation, “this case highlights why clear licensure standards and regulatory oversight are essential for patient protection”.
“Although the practitioner claimed medical training abroad, he operated completely outside state oversight and marketed himself as a naturopathic physician in a state that lacks licensure standards for Naturopathic Doctors. It is precisely why the AANP advocates for naturopathic doctor (ND) licensure in all US states, territories, and districts; to protect the public through clear standards and accountability.”
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