Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA Fort Worth pediatric dentist, Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill (left), is accused of giving a 4-year-old Aithana Rodríguez Arriaga (right) a fatal drug overdose during a procedure that investigators say was unnecessary (Fort Worth PD/GoFundMe)Texas pediatric dentist Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill was arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury following the April death of 4-year-old Aithana Rodriguez Arriaga. Rodriguez Arriaga died after undergoing a frenectomy, a minor tongue-tie procedure, at Cuddle Kids Dental in Fort Worth, never regaining consciousness afterward. Investigators determined the girl had a toxic level of the opioid pain medication meperidine (Demerol) in her system, ruling her death an accident. Evidence suggests the frenectomy was potentially unnecessary, as both her pediatrician and an ENT specialist had previously concluded she did not have a tongue-tie. Hemphill is accused of administering sedatives, and staff reportedly used flumazenil, a benzodiazepine reversal agent, instead of naloxone (Narcan), which is used for opioid overdoses, with Hemphill unable to locate Narcan during a search. In fullTexas dentist arrested after 4-year-old girl dies during ‘tongue-tie’ procedure: reportMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Dentist arrested after child dies from lethal dose of sedative during minor procedure
Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA Fort Worth pediatric dentist, Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill (left), is accused of giving a 4-year-old Aithana Rodríguez Arriaga (right) a fatal drug overdose during a procedure that investigators say was unnecessary (Fort Worth PD/GoFundMe)Texas pediatric dentist Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill was arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury following the April death of 4-year-old Aithana Rodriguez Arriaga. Rodriguez Arriaga died after undergoing a frenectomy, a minor tongue-tie procedure, at Cuddle Kids Dental in Fort Worth, never regaining consciousness afterward. Investigators determined the girl had a toxic level of the opioid pain medication meperidine (Demerol) in her system, ruling her death an accident. Evidence suggests the frenectomy was potentially unnecessary, as both her pediatrician and an ENT specialist had previously concluded she did not have a tongue-tie. Hemphill is accused of administering sedatives, and staff reportedly used flumazenil, a benzodiazepine reversal agent, instead of naloxone (Narcan), which is used for opioid overdoses, with Hemphill unable to locate Narcan during a search. In fullTexas dentist arrested after 4-year-old girl dies during ‘tongue-tie’ procedure: reportMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
