GULF BREEZE, FLORIDA — A Florida surgeon has been charged in connection with the death of his wife, who suffered cardiac arrest on his operating table and for whom he delayed calling 911, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office.

Benjamin Brown, 41, was arrested Monday on charges of second-degree felony homicide and manslaughter by culpable negligence, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

Deputies responded to the Restore Plastic Surgery clinic in Gulf Breeze on November 21, 2023, for a medical emergency. Benjamin Brown was performing multiple procedures on his wife, Hillary Brown, who became unresponsive and began having a seizure. She was taken to a hospital and placed on life support, but she died a week later.

"After an extensive investigation in conjunction with the District One Medical Examiner’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office, our detectives requested a warrant for the arrest of Dr. Benjamin Brown," the sheriff's office stated.

In May, the Florida Department of Health filed a document requesting the restriction of Benjamin Brown's medical license. According to the health department, Brown was performing scar revision, arm liposuction, lip injection, and ear adjustment procedures on Hillary Brown on November 21. Hillary Brown allegedly prepared her own IV bags and took a "handful of multi-colored pills," including Valium, ahead of the procedures.

Benjamin Brown did not accurately document the contents of the IV bag, and the pills were not documented at all, per the health department. Additionally, Hillary Brown assisted in her own procedures by suturing her skin back together. It is unclear if she had any formal medical training. Hillary is featured on the Restore Plastic Surgery clinic's Facebook page several times, including in one post where she is seen in medical scrubs.

During the procedures, Hillary Brown became restless and her feet began twitching, per the health department. She also reported blurred vision and seeing orange. "Restlessness, muscle twitches, and blurred vision are all early signs of lidocaine toxicity," the health department stated.

Witnesses told the sheriff's office that even after Hillary Brown began showing signs of an overdose, Benjamin Brown "continued injecting unknown amounts of Lidocaine and did not stop until the victim went into a seizure and cardiac arrest," per an arrest warrant. When a medical assistant asked Brown if they should call 911, he said "no" or "wait," according to the health department. An employee told the sheriff's office that he was asked "several times" if he wanted them to call 911, but he said he wanted to handle it himself. It was not until about 10 to 20 minutes after her seizure that Benjamin Brown asked an assistant to call 911, according to the health department.

Hillary Brown was taken to a trauma center by emergency responders "with an elevated lactic acid level and suspected lidocaine toxicity." She never regained consciousness and died on November 28, 2023.

Benjamin Brown was booked into the Santa Rosa County Detention Facility on Monday and released on a $50,000 bond the same day, per online records. It is not clear if he has an attorney at this time. An arraignment is scheduled for July 11, according to online records.

Restore Plastic Surgery is listed as "permanently closed" on Google.

The incident has raised significant concerns about the practices at the clinic and the oversight of medical procedures. The Florida Department of Health and other regulatory bodies may investigate further to ensure patient safety and adherence to medical protocols in the state.