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Miami doctor charged in Indian-origin woman's death
Authorities say the woman paid $2,000 to participate in the three-day treatment program.
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Malvika Choudhary - Tue, 21, Jul 2026
- 18:08 EDT
- 47
Representative Image / Pexels
A Miami doctor was charged with manslaughter more than a year after an Indian-origin woman died following a psychedelic treatment ceremony at a local wellness retreat.
According to court records, Samuel Lee, 44, is charged in connection with the Feb. 10, 2025, death of Tina Sodhi, who died after participating in a three-day "Heart Protocol" ceremony at Sabia Wellness House in Miami Beach.
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Authorities allege the treatment involved controlled substances, including ketamine, MDMA and DMT, as part of an alternative healing program.
According to local reports, Sodhi paid $2,000 to attend the retreat and signed a waiver acknowledging the potential risks associated with the substances used.
She also completed a cleansing regimen before the ceremony, following instructions provided ahead of the treatment.
Miami Beach police and fire rescue crews responded after Sodhi was found unresponsive inside a rooftop sauna at the wellness center. Lee was performing CPR when first responders arrived, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner determined that Sodhi died from extreme dehydration caused by a combination of ketamine, MDMA, DMT, prolonged heat exposure in the sauna and the pre-ceremony cleansing regimen.
Court documents say investigators recovered emails, text messages and videos detailing the ceremony, including instructions for dietary preparation and the administration of the substances.
Police also consulted an independent physician, who concluded that Lee's conduct represented an extreme and unjustifiable departure from accepted safety and clinical practices.
Lee, a board-certified psychiatrist, has pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial. Prosecutors have asked the court to bar him from practicing medicine while the criminal case is pending, and a Miami-Dade judge has ordered him not to provide medical, psychological or psychiatric care during the proceedings.
Records show the Texas Medical Board temporarily suspended Lee's medical license following Sodhi's death, citing concerns that his continued practice posed a threat to public welfare. His Florida medical license is listed as expired and delinquent.
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