The Florida cosmetic surgeon who allegedly died by suicide while faces charges that he sexually assaulted sedated female patients during procedures may have upward of 11 victims, a report says.
Dr. Eric Andrew Salata, a 54-year-old board-certified physician, was arrested at Pura Vida Medical Spa in Naples, Florida, Nov. 21 on two counts of sexual battery to a physically helpless person.
The charges stemmed from allegation brought by two female patients, but within days of Salata’s release from jail, a third victim came forward on the record before the doctor ultimately died by suicide.
Adam Horowitz, a sexual assault attorney based in Ft. Lauderdale representing one of the victims, told WBBH-TV that now so far a total of 11 women have come forward to Naples police about Salata.
A lawsuit was also filed against Pura Vida Medical Spa and Salata’s estate after the doctor’s death. Salata reportedly owned the spa with his Jill Salata, a certified family nurse practitioner.
"Now that there is no criminal process, we fully plan to march forward with civil justice. That is now the only remedy that my client and the other survivors have," Horowitz said.
"The word publicly is there are three known victims," the attorney added. "We know there are more than that now, and I suspect that we will hear from law enforcement that the number is much higher than has been publicly disclosed. Anyone who is this sinister, predatory, and calculating in their abuse, we suspect there are more victims than are publicly known."
Regarding his client, the attorney said she "was relieved" that "no one else could be harmed" and that "he wouldn’t have the opportunity to commit such an act again."
"However, she did want to pursue justice," Horowitz said. "She wanted to have her day in court and confront him and hold him accountable, both criminally and civilly."
The Naples Police Department said throughout a four-week investigation, two female victims, ages 51 and 72, described how Salata allegedly drugged and raped them while they were sedated.
The first victim said Salata prescribed her Xanax to take before a procedure, WBBH-TV reported.
The doctor then administered nitrous oxide to assist with sedation and pain from the procedure. The woman claimed Salata also offered her tequila, and she blacked out, according to the outlet.
As the woman started to come to, she found Salata performing oral sex on her before falling unconscious a second time. During the procedure, as the nitrous oxide was wearing off, the woman told police she found Salata having sexual intercourse with her.
"The victim felt shocked after the sedation subsided about what had taken place, contacted police, and submitted to a sexual assault examination which was sent to the FDLE laboratory for the continuing investigation," police said in a Nov. 22 statement.
A second victim came forward and relayed to police a similar account about her experience while under sedation at Pura Vida Medical Spa with Salata. That woman said the doctor began to increase the amount of laughing gas as he began to massage her. Detectives collected sexual assault evidence, which was also submitted to the FDLE laboratory for comparison and to support a prosecution, police said.
The initial charges came following a four-week investigation. On Nov. 22, Salata reportedly bonded out of the Naples Jail Center and was scheduled to make his first appearance before a judge on Dec. 19. By Nov. 25, a third woman had come forward accusing Salata on the record.
About a week later, a deputy for the Collier County Sheriff’s Office arrived to perform a welfare check at Salata’s home in Naples after the ankle monitor had not registered movement for eight hours. Upon arrival, the deputy found the doctor near the home with what was deemed a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. A medical examiner later ruled Salata’s death a suicide.
