Share this @internewscast.com

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — A plastic surgeon from Greenwood Village has been sentenced after a jury convicted him in connection with a 19-year-old patient’s death.

Geoffrey Kim was sentenced to 15 days in jail, followed by two years probation, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. In addition, he must complete 120 hours of community service and pay a $50,000 fine.

He faced a maximum of three years in prison, which prosecutors asked for.

A jury found him guilty of attempted reckless manslaughter and obstruction of telephone service on June 14 in connection with the death of 19-year-old Emmalyn Nguyen, or Thornton, who was administered anesthesia and then slipped into a coma and went into cardiac arrest on Aug. 1, 2019. She came to Kim’s clinic for a breast augmentation procedure when she was 18 years old.

Emmalyn Nguyen

Guajardo, Adi

She was eventually rushed to Littleton Adventist Hospital, where doctors determined she had a severe anoxic brain injury due to the prolonged cardiac arrest. Nguyen spent three weeks at the hospital and was then transferred to Vibra Hospital for rehab. She died at 19 in a nursing home a year later, in October 2020. That month, her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Kim.

On Jan. 9, 2020, Kim’s medical license was suspended. In February 2022, he was arrested.

During Kim’s trial, a nurse anesthetist testified that he had told Kim that the patient should be brought to a hospital and they should call 911. Based on the investigation, Kim did not call for help for five hours after Nguyen went into cardiac arrest, according to the district attorney’s office.

The obstruction charge stemmed from the fact that Kim would not let several medical professionals in the office to call 911 and ask for transfer care for Nguyen, the DA said.

“We understand medical procedures don’t always go as planned, but this defendant showed a shocking and extreme lack of judgment and humanity by failing to call for an ambulance and denying his patient appropriate treatment in a hospital setting,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Dawson said after the jury came back with a guilty verdict. “Patients put their trust in doctors and the outcome might have been different had the defendant sought appropriate medical care. This defendant made decisions based on what was best for his business and not for his patient.”


D7 follow up bar 2460x400FINAL.png

What do you want Denver7 to follow up on? Is there a story, topic or issue you want us to revisit? Let us know with the contact form below.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Thieves Target Daughter’s Home, Steal Only Her Late Father’s Ashes in a Distressing Break-In, Police Report

Share A peculiar home burglary in Colorado has local police delving into…

Biological Father Opens Fire on Daughter’s Adoptive Family Amid Custody Battle, Officials Report

Inset: Norman Lee Johnson (Harris County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The suburban home…

Teen Tragically Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver After Noticing Little Dipper for the First Time, Family Reports

Inset: Jeana Flores (Facebook). Background: The area where Jeana Flores’ body was…

Shocking Incident: Man Accused of Biting Police Officer’s Ear at Adelaide KFC Sparks Outrage

A man will face court in Adelaide today after allegedly biting a…

China Executes Key Figures of Ming Family: Unraveling the Billion-Dollar Crime Syndicate in Myanmar

China has executed 11 members of the notorious Ming family criminal gang,…

Teen Tragedy in Kansas: Dual Arrests in Fatal Bar Shooting Involving Youths

Newly released court documents have shed light on a tragic shooting earlier…

Judge Denies Bail for Teen Accused of Parental Murder; Family Secures $10K Media Deal

A judge in Carroll County, Georgia, has decided against granting bail for…

Teen Arrested in Connection with Tragic Death of Woman at Oklahoma Residence

A tip from an unidentified caller led authorities to a residence in…

Shocking Crime: Man’s Frustration Over Facebook Marketplace Truck Leads to Tragic Attack on Pregnant Woman and Arson

Inset, top to bottom: Neda Revuckas (Downers Grove Police) and Eliza Morales…

Tragic Love Triangle: Surgeon Allegedly Kills Ex and Her Dentist Husband, Police Report

Background: Spencer and Monique Tepe (Facebook). Inset: Michael McKee in court (Law&Crime…

Shocking Crime: Man Brutally Stabs Elderly Father 26 Times and Steals Classic Car in Fit of Rage

Inset: Jacob Sanders (Mauston Police Department). Background: The Willows Motel in Mauston,…

Smiling Assailant Attacks Pregnant Mother with Baseball Bat, Police Report

Left inset: Marielle Barrios (Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office). Right inset: Gheonna Lacy…