A 48-year-old dentist has been arrested and charged after four-year-old Aithana Rodríguez-Arriaga tragically died during a common procedure to address being tongue-tied01:45, 17 Jul 2026Updated 01:45, 17 Jul 2026A dentist in Texas has been charged more than three months after one of her 4-year-old patients died during a procedure, the Fort Worth Police Department said.‌On April 1 Aithana Rodríguez-Arriaga, 4, underwent a dental procedure at Cuddle Kids Dental Care in the 5300 block of Sycamore School Rd. The procedure was described as a minor and relatively common procedure to address being tongue-tied.‌However the procedure didn't go as planned and Aithana became unresponsive. Aithana was rushed to a local hospital but despite best efforts she was sadly pronounced dead a short while later.‌Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill, 48, was arrested Tuesday and has now been charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury, which is a second-degree felony, police said.“Throughout this investigation, I have learned from Hemphill’s own statements, her staff’s statements, and from medical professionals that there was evident neglect on Hemphill’s part that led to Aithana’s death,” Detective J. Spragins said.‌An autopsy conducted by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner found that the child died from meperidine (Demerol) toxicity and ruled her death an accident, according to Hemphill's arrest warrant affidavit.Rodríguez-Arriaga had, the affidavit notes, 793 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) in her system. Meperidine is an opioid used as a preoperative medication, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.The medical examiner told detectives that the recommended dosage for an adult is 200 to 500 ng/mL, and the FDA states that children should receive 0.5 mg./lb. to 0.8 mg./lb. to the adult dose. This means that the dosage given to the child could have also proven toxic and potentially lethal to an adult, the warrant states.‌Hemphill is accused of giving the child meperidine as well as other sedatives and nitrous oxide gas before the procedure and failing to watch the child while in her care to provide emergency treatment once she became unresponsive, the affidavit says. She was released after posting a $10,000 bond and faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fort Worth Police Department's Crimes Against Children Unit, which learned about the incident and identified the doctor involved in the procedure. The child's mother created a GoFundMe in April, where she described her daughter as "a beautiful 4-year-old girl, filled with life and kindness."Article continues belowIt added: "Her presence always lit up a room, and she brought so much joy to everyone around her. Tragically, Aithana passed away after a small procedure at the dentist, and our family is heartbroken by her sudden loss. She was sweet, loving, and touched the lives of all who knew her.”You can donate to the GoFundMe page by clicking here.