A Texas dentist has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of a 4-year-old girl who died following a dental procedure. Chrishelle Hemphill, 48, was taken into custody Wednesday at her Fort Worth practice, Cuddle Kids Dental Care.
The procedure on April 1 involved a tongue-tie operation for Aithana Rodríguez-Arriaga, a 4-year-old girl. According to an arrest report, both the child's pediatrician and a specialist had previously determined that Aithana did not require the procedure. Investigators stated that the child was administered excessive doses of Demerol, another sedative, and nitrous oxide.
Investigators found that the amount of Demerol in Aithana's system was high even for an adult, exceeding the adult range of 200 to 500 nanograms per millimeter. The report indicated the medication was administered to the child twice, with her level reaching 793 nanograms per millimeter. Aithana's cause of death was determined to be meperidine toxicity.
Hemphill reportedly attempted CPR when Aithana became unresponsive, with assistance from another dentist. The child was transported to a hospital but could not be saved. According to the arrest warrant, Hemphill did not realize the combination of the three drugs could be fatal and also used the wrong drug during resuscitation attempts.
Detective J. Spragins stated that evidence gathered from Hemphill, her staff, and medical professionals indicated "evident neglect on Hemphill's part that led to Aithana's death."
Family members described Aithana as a "sweet, loving" child who was "filled with life and kindness" and "always lit up a room." A fundraiser established by her family called her a "beautiful 4-year-old girl" whose "presence always lit up a room, and she brought so much joy to everyone around her."
Hemphill faces up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for the charge of injury to a child.