‘Black Madam’ held for trial on murder charge in botched buttocks-enhancement procedure

On two separate occasions, 22-year-old Theresa Gyamfi traveled from London, England to Philadelphia with childhood friend Claudia Aderotimi. They came to enhance their figures through silicone buttocks injections from an allegedly unlicensed practitioner.

On Wednesday, Gyamfi was accompanied by her sister. This time, she was here to testify at the preliminary hearing of Padge Victoria Windslowe, the so-called “Black Madam” who is charged with murder in connection with Aderotimi’s 2011 death.

Prosecutors and police maintain that an illicit silicone injection at an airport hotel was responsible for the 20-year-old’s death, allegations that left Windslowe held for trial.

The 40-year-old was initially arrested in Germatown at an unrelated “pumping party,” but investigators charged her with Aderotimi’s death after a lengthy investigation.

The testimony

Gyamfi said their research for the procedure initally led she and her deceased friend to a website. That led them to an intermediary who got them in touch with Windslowe, referred to as “Lillian” throughout the hearing.

The intermediary, who had already undergone the procedure multiple times, previously informed the girls that Windslowe was a legitimate nurse practitioner.

In Nov. 2010 and Feb. 2011, the visitors met with the intermediary and Windslowe at the Hampton Inn near Philadelphia International Airport. There, they received silicone injections in their buttocks, Gyamfi testified.

Fatal encounter

Gyamfi testified that during the second procedure, Aderotimi immediately began to feel sick. She testified that Aderotimi complained of chest pains which were aggravated by labored breathing and coughing.

Assistant District Attorney Bridget Kirn said those concerns led to more malpractice.

“They went so far as to bring the defendant back to the room, and the defendant performed a pseudo-medical exam pretending to check her chest and saying that if she got worse, they she could an ambulance,” said Kirn. “Well, she needed an ambulance. She went to the hospital, and 12 hours later, she was dead.”

Dr. Fredric Hellman, chief medical examiner for Delaware County, testified he believed Aderotimi died because of high levels of food-grade silicone that traveled from her buttocks into her blood stream and then to her liver, lung and brain tissue.

He said Aderotimi’s body had between 25 and 40 times the amount of silicon, which is in silicone, in it than someone should.

Windslowe’s attorney Christopher Mannix maintained that the silicon found in Aderotimi’s body could not be adequately linked to the injections because the primary tissue that was tested was taken from the buttocks.

Held for trial on the charges, Gordon will be arraigned on Halloween.