Morgan Ribeiro, a 20-year-old nursery worker from Croydon, died on January 13, 2024, following complications from a gastric sleeve operation performed in Istanbul, Turkey. An inquest held at South London Coroner's Court on Friday, September 4, concluded that her death resulted from complications of the cosmetic procedure.
Father's tribute and inquest findings
Richard Ribeiro, Morgan's father, paid tribute to his daughter moments after the inquest concluded. He described her as a "passionate" and "caring" person who worked at a nursery for disabled children, looking after those with special needs. "She was a very passionate person. She cared," he said.
Assistant Coroner Laura Stephenson heard that numerous attempts to contact Morgan's surgeon, Dr Serkan Bayil, had been unsuccessful. "It has not been possible to establish contact with the clinic or surgeon who performed it," Stephenson said, adding that she relied on the post-mortem conducted in Serbia, information from Serbian police, and details from Morgan's partner about her travel.
Fatal complications after surgery
Morgan travelled to Istanbul on January 5, 2024, for the weight-loss procedure. Medical staff cleared her to return to the UK three days later. However, during the return flight, she began displaying health complications, forcing an emergency landing in Belgrade, Serbia. She was admitted to intensive care and passed away five days later.
In Serbia, Morgan underwent emergency surgery, where medics discovered her intestinal wall had ruptured. Coroner Stephenson concluded that the medical cause of death was peritonitis caused by the rupture, which most likely occurred as a direct result of the gastric sleeve procedure.
Medical notes from the private hospital in Istanbul indicated that Morgan was deemed stable and fit for discharge. However, her partner Jamie Brewster told the court she had been experiencing abdominal pain and a fever, both of which deteriorated once they boarded the London-bound flight.
Family seeks justice
Morgan's mother, Erin Gibson, previously spoke to The Mirror about her determination to seek justice. "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," she said.
Morgan had endured years of bullying over her weight before deciding to pursue weight-loss surgery. A gastric band operation in the UK costs between £8,000 and £10,000, while Morgan paid just £2,500 for the procedure in Turkey.
In 2024, The Mirror confronted Dr Bayil in Istanbul. He denied any wrongdoing, claiming Morgan suffered an embolism and insisted he did nothing wrong.
