Several women recovering from cosmetic surgery were left searching for new places to stay after authorities arrested a Miami-Dade woman accused of operating an unlicensed post-surgery recovery center out of a rental home.
Kerri Smith, 38, was taken into custody and faces charges related to allegedly running an assisted living facility without a license and participating in a scheme to defraud. Investigators claim she collected more than $200,000 from clients seeking recovery care following cosmetic procedures.
The arrest disrupted the recoveries of at least six women who were staying at the southwest Miami-Dade property at the time.
Among them was Janell Dunn, who traveled from Orlando for surgery and expected to spend several days recovering under professional care.
“I’m really disappointed. Extremely disappointed,” Dunn said.
According to Dunn, numerous women were staying at the property during her recovery. She said confusion quickly spread after law enforcement arrived and a caretaker was arrested.
“We were all looking at each other like, ‘What are we going to do now?'” she recalled.
Authorities allege the operation had serious safety concerns, including overcrowded living conditions and improper handling of medical waste. Prosecutors also referenced complaints involving insects and rodents at the property.
Smith told a judge that she had been working to bring the business into compliance and had sought professional guidance to improve operations.
For patients, however, the immediate concern was finding a safe place to continue recovering.
Dunn said the unexpected situation forced her to move belongings and handle tasks she should have avoided while healing from surgery.
“I’ve been pushing, pulling, tugging, doing things I shouldn’t be doing at this point,” she said.
Some women reportedly booked hotel rooms after leaving the property. Dunn found help through Tonita Caban, an experienced post-surgery caregiver who learned about her situation through an online support group.
Caban opened her home to Dunn and said she could not ignore someone in need during a vulnerable stage of recovery.
“And you’re here with me, and you’ll always be my little sister,” Caban told her. “Someone you can count on.”
Caban said she is not charging Dunn for her stay, recognizing the financial loss many patients experienced after the recovery center shut down.
As the legal case moves forward, several former clients are still dealing with the unexpected challenges that followed what they believed would be a smooth recovery process.
