Illegal injection case awaiting trial after Bay Area death of Kim Kardashian lookalike model
By Lauren Martinez
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SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) — The death of a Bay Area woman known as a Kim Kardashian lookalike and a popular OnlyFans star is still playing out in the court system.
Christina Ashten Gourkani was 34 years old when prosecutors say she died after an illegal cosmetic procedure.
This week, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s office says we’ll learn when the jury trial will begin.
According to the DA’s office, Gourkani hired 50-year-old Vivian Gomez, an unlicensed cosmetologist out of Florida. On April 19, 2023, Gomez flew to San Francisco and performed the procedure on Gourkani at a hotel here in Burlingame.
The DA’s office says Gourkani died the next day after Gomez performed illegal silicone buttock injections.
Dr. Lisa Hwang is a licensed plastic surgeon based in Campbell.
“That is injecting free-floating silicone in the form of likely a gel, but it’s a free-floating gel,” Dr. Hwang said.
She said there’s no correct way to inject the substance, which brings a multitude of risks.
“If it’s not injected in a certain plane, and in this case, it’s a free-floating substance, which can also cause migration down the road,” Dr. Hwang said.
Dr. Hwang said it’s important if someone is seeking out a cosmetic procedure to make sure they find someone certified and they visit for a consultation.
“There are very specific boards, so a lot of times people will say board certified, but it’s actually really important you look into which board,” Dr. Hwang said.
She said it’s important not to quantify this incident, a felony, with someone who was not a credited provider.
“Being able to publicize accurate information about plastic surgery is really important just in educating the public and making sure that everyone approaches it with a safe mentality,” Dr. Hwang said.
A jury trial date for Gourkani’s case will be decided this Friday.
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