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Black Madam hospitalized with chest pains

After two grueling days last week testifying in her murder trial in the silicone-injection death of a dancer, "Black Madam" Padge-Victoria Windslowe has been hospitalized complaining of chest pains.

Padge Victoria Windslowe, who calls herself "the Black Madam."
Padge Victoria Windslowe, who calls herself "the Black Madam."Read more

After two grueling days last week testifying in her murder trial in the silicone-injection death of a dancer, "Black Madam" Padge-Victoria Windslowe has been hospitalized complaining of chest pains.

Prisons spokeswoman Shawn Hawes said Windslowe, 43, told authorities Monday morning that she felt chest pains. Hawes said she was taken to a Philadelphia hospital and admitted. Hawes did not name the hospital.

Several trial witnesses have testified that chest pain and breathing problems were the first symptoms of the potentially fatal movement of injected silicone from the buttocks into the heart and lungs. Windslowe has testified that she has injected herself several times in several parts of her body over the years.

Windslowe's hospitalization aborted the start of the second full week of her trial on third-degree murder and aggravated assault charges in the 2011 death of a British dancer after undergoing buttocks-enhancement silicone injections and the 2012 hospitalization of a New York woman who had the same procedure.

Her absence in the morning fueled speculation among courtroom observers. A courtroom staffer announced at 2 p.m. that Windslowe was ill and that the trial would resume Wednesday morning.

Prosecution, defense lawyers, and principals are under a gag order imposed by Common Pleas Court Judge Rose Marie DeFino-Nastasi and could not speak to reporters.

When the trial resumes, Windslowe will return to the witness stand and begin a second day of cross-examination by Assistant District Attorney Carlos Vega.

Although she has admitted she had no formal medical training, Windslowe has testified that she knew what she was doing, believed it was safe, and had injected the same industrial-grade silicone to enhance her own body.

Windslowe has testified that the Feb. 8, 2011, death of 20-year-old British dancer Claudia Aderotimi was the first death or illness she knew of that had resulted from the liquid silicone injections.