An ‘energetic and sporty’ 23-year-old has died hours after getting a tattoo.
Federica Iammatteo, a student from Milan, was said to be ‘in perfect health’, before getting a new design inked onto her body.
But the next morning she went into septic shock, haemorrhaging. That night her heart stopped and she died.
Ms Iammatteo had visited a specialist tattoo parlour on Thursday afternoon to get the new drawing - to the right of her spine. She already had other tattoos in the centre of her back.
But by Friday morning she felt shivery and had pins and needles in her hands and feet. She texted a friend saying she thought she had a fever. Her symptoms rapidly got worse prompting her family to seek medical help.
She was seen by doctors at the San Giuseppe hospital in Milan, but as soon as she arrived she began to haemorrhage and was immediately transferred to the Policlinica, Milan’s top hospital.
Medical staff advised her family to go home and that they would call if there was any change for the worse.
Her father Agostino Iammatteo told Corriere della Sera: ‘As soon as we got to hospital she was put on a tube and the doctors did not hide the seriousness of the situation.
'We wanted to stay near but the doctor said there was no need, that they would call us if she got worse.’
Then on Saturday morning at 3am they were called by staff who told them she had died.
Now her devastated family are seeking answers. Mr Iammatteo said: ‘You don’t die like this at 23 years old. She was full of energy, sporty. We want to know what happened.’
Visit: Ms Iammatteo, with her father Agostino, had visited a specialist tattoo parlour on Thursday afternoon to get the new picture inked onto her back
Sporty: The student was transferred to the Policlinica, Milan's top hospital, where she died
He added: ‘My daughter didn’t lack money to go to a proper centre where it was more than safe to get a tattoo and she had already had others done there.’
Ms Iammatteo was passionate about motorbikes. Days before her death she had posted a picture of herself riding her red Ducati bike on Facebook.
‘So cool. you are the bomb!’ one friend wrote. Another wrote: ’Here comes the blonde. You are fantastic!!!!’
More...
Footballer sparks fury after bragging online about his tattoo that spells out 'LOVE'... using images of guns and a GRENADE
The rise of 'Tittooing': Women desperate for perfect nipples are having them TATTOOED on
A Milan prosecutor has opened a manslaughter investigation into ‘persons unknown’, ordering an autopsy to take place this week.
Police visited the tattoo clinic but found no immediate causes for concern over hygiene practices.
It is thought the young woman may have had an allergic reaction to the ink.
Loved: Ms Iammatteo, (pictured with a friend) went into septic shock and began haemorrhaging after getting the tattoo