Oct 25, 2007 6:18 pm US/Eastern
Cops: Woman Critical After Trip To Phony Dentist
Victim Left On Streets, Went Missing For Days
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
A 71-year-old woman who was missing for days turned up inside a local hospital after a Brooklyn dentist apparently left her on the street when she became unresponsive, possibly from an allergic reaction, and nearly died.
Paramedics hospitalized the unconscious and barely breathing woman, identified as Colette Villemin, after they found her on a Brighton Beach sidewalk outside the office door of her 47-year-old dentist, Alexander Poperetchny. He's being charged with reckless endangerment and unauthorized practice.
Villemin's family members were appalled at how police say Poperetchny treated the woman.
"Now my moms in critical condition at Coney Island Hospital and she's dying," said George Raynor, Jr., Villemin's son.
Raynor says he's in shock that a trip to the dentist ended with his mother clinging to life. What happened inside the office is unclear, but police have some idea as to what happened inside the doorway of the office.
That's because the office is located on a very busy street, where there were plenty of witnesses who say they saw the woman in the doorway unresponsive. When paramedics arrived, they couldn't find a purse or ID, so she was taken to the hospital and listed as a "Jane Doe."
"She never came home and that night my dad started calling hospitals," Raynor Jr. said. "We found her in Coney Island Hospital as a white female unidentified."
Grocery Store Worker Primitivo Ahoutt says he saw Vellemin on the ground, but said he never saw the dentist.
Defense attorney Kent Arthur says it was Poperetchny who called 911.
"Nothing has been stated that my client has had anything to do with what happened to that lady. It can be just an unfortunate circumstance," Arthur said.
Doctors told Vellemin's family it appears she had an allergic reaction during the visit. Her husband, George Raynor Sr., said a lack of oxygen caused severe brain damage. He tells CBS 2 she'll need a miracle to make it.
"She's not good," he said.
Raynor Jr. said he approached Poperetchny, who apparently told him, "I'm sorry, I was scared."
Stay with wcbstv.com and CBS 2 for the latest in this developing story.
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