Weeks after a local doctor and plastic surgeon was found dead in a northeast Bakersfield residential pool, her manner of death was ruled as “undetermined.”
Sarwa Ama Aldoori, 71, was found deceased in a swimming pool behind an upscale home in the 1400 block of Pineglen Drive on the evening of June 30, and although the manner of the 71-year-old’s death was ruled as “undetermined,” the Kern County coroner’s office said that her cause of death was due to her drowning, according to a forensic postmortem exam.
Aldoori worked as a physician in Bakersfield for decades and had 35 years of experience in OBGYN surgery and was one of two doctors who worked at Bella Health and Beauty, a plastic surgery center in northeast Bakersfield.
The coroner’s conclusion marked a significant development in the case.
The manner of death was ruled as “undetermined,” but the cause was drowning, according to a forensic postmortem exam.
What made the death mysterious was the open question about how she ended up in the water.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause or manner of death, and the circumstances surrounding how Aldoori ended up in the pool remain unclear, and police have also not said whether foul play is suspected.
Early coverage noted the investigation’s active status.
The Bakersfield Police Department said the investigation remains active, with the cause, manner and circumstances surrounding Aldoori’s death still pending.
Aldoori’s professional history added dimension to the case.
Aldoori, 71, practiced at Bella Health and Beauty and specialized in women’s health and cosmetic surgery.
Her death comes after she surrendered her California physician’s license in March 2024 following disciplinary action connected to the death of one of her patients.
The disciplinary troubles stemmed from events a decade prior.
Aldoori had been placed on probation for seven years by the state Medical Board after a patient who received liposuction and a tummy tuck in 2016 died the next day.
During her probation, Dr. Sarwa Aldoori is barred from participating in any surgical procedures, including cosmetic surgeries, and can’t conduct solo practice, according to a settlement that took effect last month, and Aldoori also must complete education, record-keeping and ethics courses.
Board records revealed specific allegations.
An accusation brought by the board alleged Aldoori had insufficient training to perform the procedures, kept inadequate medical records and failed to document her discharge recommendations and the patient’s refusal of home nursing care.
The 2016 incident played out in grim detail across medical records.
In the viral moment of regulatory scrutiny,
a 43-year-old woman’s coroner’s office ruled the patient died from a fat embolism — when fat globules enter the bloodstream — due to abdominal surgical procedure and liposuction, with adult respiratory distress contributing, and the liposuction and tummy tuck were performed the following month.
Aldoori on Friday denied she was negligent, saying she capably performed the surgery and the patient suffered a well-known complication of the procedure.
The patient was monitored after surgery, but the accusation says only four sets of vital signs were taken during three hours and 45 minutes of monitoring, and fluid input and output was not closely assessed.
Aldoori recommended a nurse accompany the patient home, but the patient’s family allegedly refused, according to the accusation.
Beyond the courtroom, Aldoori maintained professional and educational presence.
The 71-year-old maintained a YouTube channel, where she uploaded 79 videos and amassed more than 28,000 subscribers, and her most recent upload, titled “Post Partum Transition,” was published in January 2025.
She earned her medical degree from the University of Mosul College of Medicine, one of Iraq’s most prestigious medical schools.
Authorities have not indicated that Aldoori’s medical history or the previous disciplinary case is connected to her death.
Investigators have offered no public explanation for the mysterious circumstances.