Model who dated ex-Manchester City star Mario Balotelli dies after complications from a butt lift

A former Playboy model who dated ex-Manchester City star Mario Balotelli died after complications from a Brazilian Butt Lift, MailOnline can reveal.

Tabby Brown, 45, died suddenly in October 2023 just days after returning from the Dominican Republic where she had gone for liposuction treatment.

Tabby, who also appeared in Cosmopolitan and Elle, was also an actor and dancer and said of the extrovert Italian footballer she fell for him 'against my better judgement'.

The inquest which was held at South London Coroners Court heard from her mother, brother and sister who paid an emotional tribute to her.

In a statement they said: 'After Tabby's surgery abroad, she returned to the family home and was cared for by our mother, who was under the impression she had picked up a viral infection whilst travelling.

'Tabby did not inform her mother that she'd had surgery. Generally, Tabby was in good health, she was an avid fitness enthusiast and enjoyed weight training.

'She was a foodie, who in recent years particularly enjoyed baking. Tabby had enjoyed a successful career as a model, having featured in music videos of several well-known British and American artists.

'She was also the face of many ad campaigns for recognised brands. Tabby was well known and well-liked by many personally and professionally.

'She had a big laugh, smile and a personality that charmed many and matched her beauty.

'Close family and close friends take solace from the fact that she experienced many years in which she lived out her dreams.

'But we are also saddened by her premature departure, we love and miss Tabby very much and will always keep her memory close to our hearts.'

The inquest heard how police had arrived at the south London home she shared with her mother after she collapsed in the early hours and an ambulance was called.

Tabby was found on the floor, not breathing and her mother Mahasin told police she had returned from a two-week trip to South America just three days earlier.

Within hours of arriving home Tabby began to feel unwell and the court heard that paramedics found 'two puncture wounds in her pelvis area that confirmed cosmetic surgery.'

In a statement read by coroner Julian Morris, Mahasin said Tabby had not wanted to seek medical advice and instead had taken pain killers and the day she died 'felt weak'.

Paramedics declared her dead at the scene at 1.30am on October 13 and a postmortem confirmed she had undergone recent cosmetic surgery.   

Toxicology reports came back negative for drink and drugs, but her lungs showed 'numerous small globules of fat' and this 'fat embolism in her circulation' led to her death.

According to medical journals, death following plastic surgery is rare, but it has been on the increase due to the rise of liposuction interventions.

Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that involves the removal of unwanted body fat and on the NHS website is described as usually carried out 'on the bottom, hips, thighs and tummy'.

It is not readily available on the NHS and private procedures in the UK can cost between £3,000 to £8,500 depending on where you go, and the body areas being treated.

In the Dominican Republic there are numerous clinics there and a lot of competition among surgeons drives prices down to half of what they are in Britain.

Earlier this year a report in the United States warned Americans not to travel to the Caribbean island for cut price surgery as there had been a surge in fatalities linked to botched operations.

Researchers discovered that almost 100 people had died in the last decade after having surgery there and many within 72 hours of the operation.

A report in 2019 described the Dominican Republic as 'the most dangerous place in the world' for cosmetic surgery.

Oliver Harley, a cosmetic surgeon expert, also gave evidence to the inquest and said: 'Tabby travelled to the Dominican Republic for a Brazilian Butt Lift, this is where fat is harvested from the torso by liposuction and injected into the buttocks to increase their size.

'The BBL is known to cause potential fat embolism and death and Tabby died as a consequence.'

Tabby was born Muslim, and her real name is known to MailOnline, but we have decided not to reveal it at the wishes of her family.

Her funeral service took place at London Central Mosque in Regent's Park Mosque shortly after she died and she was later buried in a Muslim cemetery at Ilford known as the Gardens of Peace.

Close pal Farah Sattaur – who starred in Ex on The Beach – was among mourners who attended the ceremony, and she posted a picture of the mosque as well as Tabby's flower strewn grave on her public Instagram profile.

Paying tribute to her Farah, 37, wrote: 'I don't even know what to say, I'm still in shock. It took me a couple of hours for the news of your loss to fully sink in and I'm still asking myself how and why.

'I loved our friendship, meeting you over ten years ago and spending two of those years being iconic Playboy bunnies together, I will always treasure all the memories we made.'

She added: 'You were so young and beautiful, funny, ambitious, with sass that we both shared and someone that held herself with so much standard and respect.

'Your infectious laugh will be incredibly missed…thank you for your friendship, thank you for your time, your support.'

She added: 'I don't know what else to say but I just hope and pray wherever you are you are OK and I'm sending so much love to your family as well.'

Alongside the picture of the London Central Mosque at Regent's Park, Farah had written the caption: 'Sleep now T' alongside emojis of hands, a broken heart and an angel's wings.

At a wake in her memory a few hours later Farah uploaded a picture of a meal and drinks adding: 'Let's celebrate your life T' with a champagne glass emoji.

The final picture was of four cocktail glasses being clinked with the caption reading: 'Today we celebrated you TB a beautiful send off for a beautiful girl' with three heart emojis.

In his narrative verdict Mr Morris said: 'Tabby had enjoyed a successful career as a model and was well liked professionally and personally.

'In or around the end of September 2023 she had visited the Dominican Republic for cosmetic surgery and returned in early October.

'She started feeling unwell and weak and her mother found her unresponsive, and paramedics were called but sadly she did not respond to resuscitation.

'The postmortem concluded that Tabby's cause of death was fat embolism caused by liposuction.

'Fat embolism are a known and rare complication but can occur with this type of surgery.

'The expert concluded that liposuction caused her death as fat embolisms do not occur naturally.

'She was fit and healthy, visited the Dominican Republic for surgery and on her return became unwell and collapsed, on balance the operative procedure caused her death.'

Mr Morris concluded the inquest by offering his condolences to the family, the name of the clinic was not given.