The San Diego Police Department is intensifying its search for Sammia “Angelica” Gonzalez, who is accused of injecting silicone illegally into several transgender women at a University Heights “pumping party” on Sunday, June 21. The deadly practice of pumping involves injecting silicone directly into the body, rather than being implanted under the skin in sealed sacs to prevent leaking.

At the party, Gonzalez, who also uses the last name Garcia-Gonzalez, allegedly injected five transgender women with what they believed to be medical-grade silicone to enhance their feminine features.

Gonzalez left the party, held in the 4000 block of Florida Street, shortly after two of the women began experiencing breathing difficulties.

The two women were rushed to the hospital hours after the injections, and remain in critical condition on life support at Scripps Mercy hospital. They are believed to be suffering from blood poisoning and one is not expected to survive.

Three other women from the party were examined at North Park Family Health Center last week and given the all-clear.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Gonzalez, 39, from Lynwood, Los Angeles, who is described as 5’3”, weighing 165 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

Police said she was reportedly driving a red Chrysler PT Cruiser when in San Diego.

Authorities believe she may have injected other people with what is believed to have been silicone during that weekend, and ask for people who think they may be at risk to seek medical advice immediately.

The five women at the University Heights party paid to have their lips, hips, cheeks and buttocks enhanced for greater feminine appearance.

The Medical Board of California confirmed that it is not illegal to receive cosmetic surgery in a residential apartment or at a party, but a licensed doctor, or a nurse supervised by a doctor, must perform the procedure.

Gonzalez is not a medical professional licensed in California and stands to be prosecuted for manslaughter or even second-degree murder, depending on the circumstances of the case.

“These are very vulnerable people with few options and they are being exploited,” said Dr. Davey Smith, physician at the North Park Family Health Center’s Tuesday night Transgender Clinic. “We have had several cases [of illegal silicone injections] in Tijuana about a year ago, but there seems to be a recent influx of cases across the West Coast.”

Julia Legsapi, a city commissioner and member of the chief of police’s and mayor’s GLBT advisory boards, is a transgender woman familiar with pumping parties.

“They are like underground parties – there are no announcements or anything – you hear about it through word of mouth; through friends of friends,” she said. “Going to plastic surgeons is very expensive, so [10 years ago] this lady would come in and enhance the lips, cheeks, breasts, but we knew it was dangerous at the time. I thought they [pumping parties] had stopped [because] they became very expensive and the supply was limited.”

Legaspi said pumping parties are the easiest and cheapest way to get silicone injections, where attendees get results right away for a fraction of the price of going to a cosmetic or plastic surgeon. “But from what I’ve heard it can be industrial silicone injected, which is used to make plastic containers and that sort of thing,” she continued. “Imagine that getting mixed up in your blood stream, clogging your arteries, blocking oxygen to your heart. I would just advise my fellow transgender people to be careful; if you’ve been to a [silicone/pumping] party, get help. Two lives are on the line right now – we want to stop it before it gets that far [again].”

Anyone with information about the case are urged to call the San Diego Police Department at (619) 531-2293, or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (888) 580-TIPS.

If you have received silicone injections, seek medical advice. The Transgender Health Clinic at North Park Family Health Centers can be contacted at (619) 515-2449, or call The Center at (619) 692-2077.