A woman flown from China to perform an illegal – and ultimately fatal – breast augmentation is blaming herself, saying she was unfamiliar with ‘Australian manners’.
Jean Huang, 35, died after the September 2017 procedure in which hyaluronic acid was injected into her breasts as a filler.
Paramedics arrived on the scene after a triple zero call and were able to restart Ms Huang’s heart. But she was declared brain dead at the hospital and her life support was turned off.
Jean Huang, 35, died after the September 2017 procedure in which hyaluronic acid was injected into her breasts as a filler
Jie Shao was convicted of manslaughter in March after a Sydney jury found she was involved in the unlawful act that saw Ms Huang injected with a dangerous dose of an anesthetic.
Shao had flown from China to Australia about a day before the operation and now faces a lengthy prison sentence.
Shao’s barrister Winston Terracini SC, reading from parts of a psychological report during a hearing at the Downing Center District Court on Friday, quoted her as saying: ‘I blame myself.’
“Her death will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Mr. Terracini quoted his client as saying.
“It might not have happened if I hadn’t come to Australia.
‘I am not familiar with Australian ways and should not have agreed to them. I really regret coming to Australia.”
Jie Shao was convicted of manslaughter in March after a Sydney jury found she was guilty of the tort of injecting Ms Huang with a dangerous dose of anesthetic
Statements from Ms Huang’s husband and mother read out in court spoke of their immense grief.
“Jean was not just my daughter – she was the light of our family – smart, beautiful, kind, generous and funny,” her mother said.
‘When I got to the hospital, the doctor told me she was dying. My memories are haunted by this moment.
“I lost my precious daughter without any preparation and never had the chance to say goodbye.”
Ms Huang’s husband said the pain of losing his wife feels like it happened yesterday.
“Every late night, the silence of the darkness outside prevents me from falling asleep,” his statement read.
“I can’t help but think about everything about my wife and me at any given moment.
“There was no winner between the two sides, but this did not mean that Jie Shao could escape the law.”
The sentencing date has been set for July 4.