A 28-year-old mother from out of state who traveled to Miami for cosmetic surgery died just hours after her procedure, and now, a medical examiner’s report has confirmed what really led to her sudden death.
Ahmonique Miller, a mother of a one-year-old, died in March after undergoing surgery at Avana Plastic Surgery Clinic on West Flagler Street. She and her younger sister, Kiera Barnes, had made the trip to Florida together for the procedures. But what began as a shared journey of self-improvement turned into a devastating tragedy.
“Ahmonique is not coming back.”
“She’s not calling, she’s not going to send a text and… Ahmonique is not coming back,” her mother, Wakeelah Miller, told NBC6 in an emotional interview back in April. “I have to remind myself every day that this is real.”
Wakeelah has since withdrawn from further interviews due to the ongoing investigation, but her grief hasn’t quieted. Speaking to NBC6 previously, she described the painful task of writing her daughter’s obituary: “I never thought that i would be, putting together obituaries for my daughter, for my child. She was smart, extremely smart. She was beautiful…Just a big los”
Acute Drug Toxicity — Not Surgical Error
NBC6 has obtained the official cause of death from the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office: acute combined drug toxicity. The toxicology report identified a lethal mixture of oxycodone, a prescription opioid, and bromazolam, a powerful, unregulated street drug frequently found in counterfeit pills and powders.
According to the examiner’s report, “the use of these drugs in the hours following [Ahmonique’s] procedure are responsible for the fatal outcome” Notably, the report added there was no evidence of acute surgical complications, ruling out surgical error.
What Really Happened at the Recovery House?
The sisters had checked into an unlicensed recovery facility known as Keyla’s Recovery House, located on SW 4th Street in Miami. Hours later, Ahmonique was dead.
A preliminary police report filed with the medical examiner stated that the facility’s operator, Keyla Oliver, admitted to giving Ahmonique two Percocets — despite having no medical license.
According to Kiera’s account to investigators, Oliver also gave Ahmonique an undisclosed number of muscle relaxers from Kiera’s own prescription and two Percocets from an unlabeled pill bottle, claiming that Ahmonique’s own medications weren’t ready yet.
“As far as we know, her actual prescription was never picked up from the pharmacy,” Wakeelah said at the time.
Oliver’s legal team has declined to comment on the case. However, Oliver previously told police that only prescribed pills were given to Ahmonique at the recovery house.
A Dangerous Drug Cocktail
Medical experts warn that the combination found in Ahmonique’s system can be deadly — particularly when taken so soon after surgery. The report noted that mixing opioids like oxycodone with bromazolam, a potent designer drug, “impacts breathing and increases the risk of death during sleep.”
Wakeelah told NBC6, “From what Kiera is saying that a muscle relaxer was given and possibly, uh, multiple Percocets and muscle relaxers.”
A Mother’s Mission for Change
Though mourning, Wakeelah is channeling her grief into action. She has launched an online petition calling for new legislation to crack down on unlicensed recovery homes in South Florida.
“My daughter’s supposed to be here with her daughter and unfortunately, she’s not,” she said.
Meanwhile, Miami Police have not provided any new updates on the case, and a spokesperson for Avana Plastic Surgery Clinic has also declined to comment.
The loss of Ahmonique Miller has left a hole in her family, especially for the one-year-old daughter she left behind. As the investigation continues, her mother says she’s determined to make sure this never happens to another family.
