LOS ANGELES — A woman from Riverside County has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison following a conviction for the death of actress Cindyana Santangelo, who tragically succumbed to silicone injections in her buttocks.
Libby Adame received her sentence on Wednesday after being found guilty of second-degree murder and engaging in medical practice without a license last month. The case revolves around the fatal procedure that took place in March, during which Santangelo, known for her roles in “Married … With Children” and “ER,” suffered a silicone embolism and died. She also appeared in the music video for Young MC’s “Bust a Move.”
Adame’s legal team contended that she was not directly responsible for the fatal injection, asserting that another individual performed the procedure while she merely consulted. They pointed to the timeline of events, claiming it was not feasible for Adame to have administered the injection.
However, prosecutors highlighted inconsistencies in Adame’s statements and presented evidence of communications between her and Santangelo regarding their appointments. This, they argued, supported the notion that Adame was involved in the procedure.
In a separate incident in 2024, Adame and her daughter, Alicia Galaz, were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for their roles in illegally injecting silicone into another woman, Karissa Rajpaul, who also developed an embolism that led to her death. Initially sentenced to prison, both women were released after a judge ruled that they had served sufficient time due to credit for their electronic monitoring.
It’s important to note that silicone injections for cosmetic enhancements are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which warns of potential severe side effects, including death. The dangers associated with such procedures have raised significant concerns in the medical community.
Following the guilty verdict, Santangelo’s husband spoke on behalf of his family, expressing a sense of justice for his wife. He remembered her as a beautiful person who not only graced the screen but also made a profound impact through her work in drug and alcohol rehabilitation.