Florida physician charged with manslaughter after patient dies of overdose

Ayla Ellison -

Federal agents arrested Marta Elena Farinas, DO, on manslaughter, drug dealing and drug trafficking charges on May 7, more than a year after one of her patients died of an accidental overdose, according to the Miami Herald.

In March 2018, Leigh Anne Milazzo died of an overdose of oxycodone and alprazolam at her home in Key Largo, Fla. An investigation into the 35-year-old's death revealed Dr. Farinas prescribed her 180 Oxycodone pills a month, according to the report.

Dr. Farinas allegedly prescribed large quantities of pills to Ms. Millazo and other patients. After the prescriptions were filled from different pharmacies, she would allegedly ask the patients to give her a portion of the pills. In text messages obtained by investigators, Ms. Millazzo and Dr. Farinas discuss sharing pills that Dr. Farinas prescribed.

Dr. Farinas was arrested at her clinic in Palmetto Bay, Fla., and she is being held in Miami-Dade County jail on a bond of $100,000, according to the report.

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