In the latest development in a story that's as sad as it is bizarre, a witness testified Wednesday about the details of her encounter with Padge Gordon, the Philadelphia "Black Madam" who faces third-degree-murder charges for performing deadly cosmetic surgery on a London dancer in an airport hotel room.
Theresa Gyamfi, who was with 20-year-old Claudia Aderotimi when she received the injections that preceded her death from a pulmonary embolism, told the court everything from how much the procedure cost to why she and her friend sought it out in the first place and thought Gordon was qualified to administer it. From New York's Daily News:
Theresa Gyamfi testified that Gordon gave them the injections in their room at the Hampton Inn and left when 20-year-old Claudia Aderotimi started having trouble breathing. The Londoners had no contact information for the woman they'd met through an intermediary online and knew only as "Lillian."
Gyamfi, 22, said they had had the same procedure done by Gordon at the hotel months earlier and had no problems. They then came back for a "touch-up." But Aderotimi had trouble breathing almost immediately after the second procedure, Gyamfi said. Aderotimi died at a hospital hours later.
… In court Wednesday, Gyamfi explained why she and her childhood friend traveled to the U.S. "We basically came here to get injections to enhance our figures," she said.
They also were celebrating Aderotimi's upcoming birthday on the second trip. They paid Gordon about $2,000 each on the first trip and $1,800 on the second trip for the injections.
Gordon arrived at the hotel room on Feb. 7, 2011, took needles from a bag and silicone from a jug to enlarge the women's buttocks, and then closed the wounds with cotton balls and glue, Gyamfi testified. Gordon left the hotel after Aderotimi became ill — and told them to call an ambulance if she didn't get better, Gyamfi said.
Gyamfi said she and her friend thought Gordon was a nurse. But Mannix questioned whether they really thought they were signing up for a legal procedure.
Read more at the Daily News.