Texas medspa owner charged with felony murder following patient cardiac arrest death
Jenifer Cleveland lost consciousness shortly after an IV cocktail was administered in Wortham
A Texas woman, Jenifer Cleveland, tragically died of cardiac arrest after allegedly receiving intravenous therapy in an unsafe manner at a local medspa.
The 47-year-old visited Luxe Medspa in Wortham on 10 July 2023, where she was administered a 1,000 mL "IV cocktail" containing electrolytes.
According to indictments obtained by PEOPLE, the infusion, which included potassium chloride, was delivered in just 27 minutes.
Medical guidelines suggest such treatments typically require a significantly slower administration rate over 24 hours to avoid adverse effects.
Amber Johnson, the owner of the facility, surrendered to authorities at Freestone County Jail on 28 April. She faces several serious charges, including felony murder, manslaughter, and practising medicine without a license.
It is alleged that Johnson operated the medspa despite state laws prohibiting non-physicians from owning such medical practices.
The Texas Medical Board conducted a months-long investigation, concluding that the patient's death was a direct result of "improper administration" of the therapy, leading to immediate cardiac failure.
The case has also seen the arrest of Dr Michael Gallagher, who allegedly acted as a medical supervisor. He is charged with felony murder and manslaughter for failing to adequately monitor the dangerous drugs administered under his license.
In the wake of the tragedy, the victim’s husband, Brian Cleveland, successfully campaigned for "Jenifer’s Law." Signed by Governor Greg Abbott on 20 June 2025, the legislation introduces strict regulations for facilities offering elective IV therapy to prevent similar future occurrences.