Two women drop an unresponsive mom at a Bronx hospital, then leave. Four years later, prosecutors allege unlicensed butt injections
The women claimed they'd found Messam near a cemetery, but investigators uncovered evidence of an alleged cosmetic procedure.
A Connecticut mother arrived at a Bronx hospital unresponsive and without her pants in February 2022, after two women claimed they’d found her near a cemetery. Medical workers discovered multiple injection marks on her buttocks, and 53-year-old Maxine Messam was pronounced dead. Nearly four years later, prosecutors allege that an unlicensed woman had injected silicone into her buttocks before her death.
Police arrested Alicia Leslie, 47, of Mount Vernon, New York, on October 16, 2026. Prosecutors accuse Leslie of performing the cosmetic procedure without a medical license. She now faces charges of criminally negligent homicide and unauthorized practice of a profession in connection with Messam’s death.
According to News 12, Messam was a wife, mother, and state employee from Bridgeport, Connecticut. Her friends remembered her as someone who “lit the room with her presence.” Investigators have not publicly explained everything that happened between the alleged procedure and Messam’s arrival at Jacobi Medical Center.
Investigators uncover what may have happened before Messam reached the hospital
The two women who brought Messam to Jacobi Medical Center claimed they’d found her near a cemetery asking for help. They arrived around 1:30 a.m. on February 15, 2022, in Messam’s own car. But investigators began looking into her whereabouts before the hospital visit after medical workers discovered injection marks that suggested she might have undergone a cosmetic procedure.
As detectives investigated, they began piecing together what may have happened before Messam arrived at the hospital. According to the Connecticut Post, prosecutors allege that Leslie, who also goes by Alicia Toya, injected silicone into Messam’s buttocks to enlarge them. Leslie allegedly performed the procedure in Westchester County despite having no medical license.
Investigators also uncovered messages allegedly arranging a meeting for the procedure in Yonkers, according to the New York Post. However, authorities haven’t publicly explained what happened after the alleged injections, how Messam ended up with the two women, or why they claimed to have found her near a cemetery.
Leslie pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Bronx Supreme Criminal Court. Her attorney, Kyle Watters, denied the allegations on her behalf. She was released under supervision and is scheduled to return to court on November 4.
Why are silicone butt injections so dangerous?
Silicone breast implants and liquid silicone injections might sound similar, but there’s a major difference. Breast implants keep silicone contained within a shell, while injected silicone can travel to other parts of the body. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the substance can enter blood vessels and cause an embolism, blocking blood flow to vital organs. In serious cases, complications can include strokes, permanent injuries, and death.
The FDA has never approved injectable silicone for enlarging someone’s buttocks. And even if someone feels fine immediately after the procedure, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in the clear. The agency warns that complications can develop weeks, months, or even years later. Some people experience infections, painful lumps, or scarring that requires additional medical treatment.
The risks become even more concerning when someone without the proper medical training performs the injections. In January 2026, the New York Department of State warned consumers about unlicensed medical spas after conducting more than 200 inspections statewide. Officials found businesses offering treatments without the required authorization, resulting in fines and other disciplinary action.
So how can someone tell whether a provider is qualified? New Yorkers can check professional licenses through the New York State Office of the Professions. The FDA also recommends asking exactly what substance a provider plans to inject and whether it’s approved for that specific procedure. A business advertising cosmetic treatments doesn’t necessarily have authorization to perform medical injections.
In Messam’s case, prosecutors allege that Leslie performed the injections without a medical license and that the procedure caused Messam’s death. Leslie has pleaded not guilty, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
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