A Fort Worth pediatric dentist was arrested last week after a 4-year-old girl died from what investigators describe as a fatal drug overdose of sedatives during a dental procedure in April. An arrest warrant details a series of alleged errors, including a toxic dose of the opiate Demerol.
FULL STORY: Fort Worth children’s dentist arrested in overdose death of 4-year-old girl
Here are key takeaways:
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Chrishelle Hemphill, 48, was arrested on a charge of serious bodily injury to a child in the death of Aithana Rodriguez Arriaga, who was being treated at Cuddle Kids Dental Care for a tongue-tie removal procedure.
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The girl’s primary-care pediatrician and an ear, nose and throat specialist had both examined her before the dental visit and found no evidence of a tongue tie, according to the warrant.
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Medical examiners found Demerol in the child’s blood at 793 nanograms per milliliter — a level they said would be toxic even for an adult, compared with a therapeutic adult range of 200 to 500 ng/mL.
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Another pediatric dentist who reviewed the case told detectives he would have given the child a maximum of 10 milligrams of Demerol; Hemphill administered 30 milligrams alongside two other sedatives and nitrous oxide, the warrant states.
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Fort Worth police Detective J. Spragins wrote that Hemphill failed to recognize signs of respiratory distress and administered Flumazenil instead of Narcan, the correct reversal drug for an opiate. Hemphill was released after posting $10,000 bond.
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