The father of a woman who died after undergoing weight-loss surgery in Turkey has paid tribute to his daughter after an inquest concluded she died from complications arising from the procedure.
Richard Ribeiro described Morgan Ribeiro, 20, as “a very passionate person. She cared” while giving evidence following the conclusion of the inquest.
What happened
Ms Ribeiro, a nursery worker who cared for children with disabilities, travelled from her home in Croydon, south London, to Istanbul on January 5, 2024, for a gastric sleeve operation. She was discharged and cleared to fly back to the UK three days later, according to The Mirror.
However, she became seriously unwell during the return flight to London Gatwick, prompting an emergency landing in Belgrade, Serbia. She was admitted to intensive care but died five days later, on January 13.
Inquest findings
South London Coroner's Court was informed by Assistant Coroner Laura Stephenson that several unsuccessful attempts had been made to contact Morgan's surgeon, Dr Serkan Bayil.
“It has not been possible to establish contact with the clinic or surgeon who performed it”, she said, adding “I have [therefore] relied on the post-mortem conducted in Serbia, information from the Serbian police..and information from Morgan’s partner about her travel.”
Morgan underwent emergency surgery in Serbia, where medics discovered her intestinal wall had ruptured, the court was told. Ms Stephenson concluded her medical cause of death was peritonitis caused by the rupture, which likely happened as a result of the gastric sleeve surgery.
Medical notes from the private hospital in Istanbul, where Morgan was treated, describe that she was deemed stable and fit for discharge. However, her partner Jamie Brewster told the court she was suffering from abdominal pain and a fever, which worsened when they boarded the London-bound flight.
Family tribute
Sitting beside a friend at Friday's inquest (September 4), emotional dad Richard said: “Morgan was working in a nursery for disabled children, looking after children with special needs. She was a very passionate person. She cared.”
Morgan's mum, Erin Gibson, previously spoke to the Mirror emphasising her need for justice. She said: “It’s wrong, it shouldn’t be happening. My daughter had her whole life ahead of her. It’s hard to adjust. Grief-stricken is an understatement.”
After years of suffering bullying due to her weight, Morgan decided to undertake weight loss surgery. A gastric band operation in the UK costs between £8,000 and £10,000, and Morgan paid £2,500 for the surgery in Turkey, it was previously said.
In 2024, The Mirror confronted surgeon Dr Bayil in Istanbul. He denied botching it, saying Morgan suffered an embolism and insisted he did nothing wrong.
