Woman Arrested Again for Allegedly Running Illegal Post-Surgery Recovery House
Monica Garcia and Daughter Laura Arrested for Operating Unlicensed Facility
Investigators with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office took Monica Garcia, 47, and her daughter Laura Garcia, 24, into custody on Wednesday morning. The pair is accused of running an illegal post-surgery recovery house, an unlicensed facility that provides medical care to women recovering from surgery.
History of Allegations
Garcia was previously arrested in 2023 for allegedly running a similar operation, but prosecutors did not move forward with the case. Instead, she was allowed to complete a pre-trial diversion program. This time, Garcia and her daughter are charged with operating an assisted living facility without a license and a hazardous waste violation for failing to safely dispose of biomedical waste.
Investigation and Findings
Investigators executed a search warrant at the home on SW 143rd Court and SW 24th Street, where they found five patients recovering from surgery, along with people paid to work at the house, but not Monica Garcia. The investigators also found that Garcia had applied for a license to operate the facility, but the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration denied the application in January, citing several violations.
Consequences of Unlicensed Facilities
“In this type of environment, we have people that, first of all, are not licensed and certified to perform the duties of a nurse or a healthcare professional,” said Detective Angel Rodriguez with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. “The laws that are right now apply are very limited.”
Call to Action
Investigations say current laws do not do enough to curb the activity they are seeing pop up in neighborhoods across South Florida. “This is something that is growing, and it has been growing for quite some time,” Rodriguez added.
Conclusion
The arrest of Monica Garcia and her daughter is a significant step in addressing the issue of unlicensed post-surgery recovery houses in South Florida. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is working closely with the Agency for Healthcare Administration to identify and investigate these properties, but more needs to be done to protect the safety and well-being of women recovering from surgery.
FAQs
What is an unlicensed post-surgery recovery house?
A post-surgery recovery house is a facility that provides medical care to women recovering from surgery, but is not licensed by the state to do so.
How does this affect the community?
Unlicensed post-surgery recovery houses can put the safety and well-being of recovering women at risk, as they do not have the necessary medical training or equipment to provide proper care.
What is being done to address this issue?
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is working with the Agency for Healthcare Administration to identify and investigate these properties, and to hold operators accountable for violating health and safety laws.
