Villeurbanne, March 28 – A woman tragically died last Friday, March 20, 2026, in Villeurbanne, within the Lyon metropolitan area, after undergoing an illegal cosmetic injection. The incident, which occurred in an apartment rented via Airbnb, has led to the indictment of three individuals, as reported by La Dépêche a week after the tragedy.
Fatal Procedure in Rented Apartment
The victim suffered a fatal malaise shortly after receiving an injection in her buttocks. Initial investigations suggest that a 34-year-old woman, assisted by a collaborator, administered a mixture of hyaluronic acid and lidocaine. The procedure took place in a rented apartment in the Ferrandière district.
Sudden Chest Pain and Cardiac Arrest
Immediately following the injection, the patient experienced severe chest pain before collapsing. She subsequently suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite resuscitation efforts by the practitioner and later by emergency services (Samu and firefighters), the woman, in her forties, could not be saved.
The preliminary hypothesis for the cause of death is a pulmonary embolism, believed to have been triggered by the injection.
Three Suspects Indicted
The individual who performed the injection was swiftly apprehended. She has since been charged with involuntary manslaughter and the illegal practice of medicine, and is currently held in pre-trial detention. According to gathered information, she presented herself as a beauty professional on social media, offering cosmetic procedures at attractive prices in various cities, often in rented accommodations.
In total, three individuals have been indicted by the Lyon public prosecutor’s office, some of whom are from Toulouse. Their illicit activities are reported to have generated substantial revenues, potentially reaching hundreds of thousands of euros.
Investigation Handled by Specialized Unit
The investigation, initially conducted by Lyon police, has been transferred to a specialized unit focusing on territorial crime. This tragic event highlights the dangers associated with illegal cosmetic procedures and the importance of seeking treatments only from qualified and licensed professionals.
The incident has prompted renewed calls for greater vigilance against clandestine aesthetic practices that endanger public health.
Source: La Montagne
