Woman arrested for 2nd time, accused of operating unlicensed post-cosmetic surgery home

A woman and her daughter were arrested after investigators said they were running an illegal post-surgery recovery house.  

Investigators with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office took Monica Garcia, 47, and daughter Laura Garcia, 24, into custody Wednesday morning. 

NBC6 Investigates was with members of the MDSO Medical Crimes Unit and Illegal Dumping Unit in late January when they executed a search warrant at the home on SW 143rd Court and SW 24^th Street where they say the Garcias were operating the unlicensed facility. 

“The individual we have identified as running the property is Monica Garcia,” said one investigator who did not want to be identified, “Which is a known offender.” 

Garcia was known to detectives because they had arrested her before in connection with the same activity at the same property. 

Garcia spoke to NBC6 in June of 2023 after her first arrest, denying the allegations. 

Prosecutors didn’t move forward with that case. Instead, she was allowed to complete a pre-trial diversion program.

Now she’s accused of doing it again, along with her daughter Laura. The pair are both charged with operating an assisted living facility without a license and a hazardous waste violation, for failing to safely dispose of biomedical waste. 

A social media page for Garcia’s business, Oasis Retreat Miami, shows videos of women after operations being driven to homes, and others recovering inside various unidentified homes with bandages and drains. 

“In this type of environment, we have people that, first of all, are not licensed and certified to perform the duties of a nurse or a healthcare professional,” said Detective Angel Rodriguez with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.  

The issue, according to investigators, many of these homes advertise as providing actual healthcare, with licensed staff to keep women safe as they recover.

Oasis Retreat’s website advertises services for thousands of dollars  

In one social media video, a client is seen praising the business, saying it’s licensed. 

But a spokesperson for Florida’s Agency for Healthcare Administration said in an email there is no license under Garcia’s name or her business.  

The spokesperson said Oasis Retreat attempted to get a license, but just last month, the agency issued this final order denying the application, citing several violations. 

Inside the home searched by investigators on Jan. 23, detectives said they found five patients recovering from surgery, along with people paid to work at the house — but not Monica Garcia. 

“The laws that are right now apply are very limited,” Detective Rodriguez said.

Investigators say current laws don’t do enough to curb the activity they’re seeing pop up in neighborhoods across South Florida. 

“This is something that is growing, and it has been growing for quite some time,” Rodriguez added. 

Investigators said when they finally took Garcia into custody Wednesday, she stated, “Half of Miami is doing this and you are coming after me.” 

NBC6 reached out to Garcia’s business but did not get a response. 

MDSO partners with AHCA to identify and investigate these properties.