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Sylmar sisters sought after a woman they treated dies

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Detectives are searching for two Sylmar sisters who allegedly ran an illegal cosmetic fillers business that led to the death of a patient who received a silicone injection in her buttocks.

Guadalupe Viveros, 53, and Alejandra Viveros, 50, may have fled the country after Mayra Lissette Contreras, 22, of Pacoima died July 23 after receiving the injection, police said.

The cause of death has not been determined, pending toxicology testing, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s officials. The results of the testing could take more than a month. Initial reports indicated that Contreras died from respiratory distress.

Police believe that Contreras had received injections the day before she died and had received similar treatments from the sisters in the past.

The Viveros sisters were investigated last month by the Los Angeles Police Department after other patients complained that the fillers, typically injected in the face or the buttocks, made them ill.

The sisters were taken into custody June 21 for practicing medicine without a license, police said. They were held on $20,000 bail before being released.

The suspects are believed to have fled to Mexico and are thought to have a long list of clients in the Sylmar area, officials said. Alleged victims were asked to contact detectives at (818) 834-3115.

andrew.blankstein@latimes.com

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

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