Cause, manner of death revealed for 9-year-old who died after dental procedure
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the cause and manner of death in the passing of a 9-year-old following a dental procedure involving anesthesia at a Vista office earlier this year.
The third-grader died on March 18, several hours after undergoing surgery at Dreamtime Dentistry. The incident prompted an investigation by the San Diego Police Department's Child Abuse Unit to determine what may have led to her death.
Some of the details identified in the course of the investigation were released in a preliminary report from the medical examiner's office last month.
'pH Miracle' author sentenced for practicing medicine without a license
According to the medical examiner, she was awake when she was discharged from the facility, but fell asleep again on the ride home. Once at home, her family moved her to her bed, where they continued to check on her throughout the day.
A short while later, they noticed she had become unresponsive, prompting them to call 911. The 9-year-old was transported to the emergency department at Rady Children's Hospital, where life-saving measures were attempted to no avail.
In the preliminary report, the medical examiner's office had listed the cause and manner of death as 'pending.' This has since been updated to describe her death as accidental, caused by Methemoglobinemia from the administration of nitrous oxide.
Methemoglobinemia is a condition commonly referred to as 'blue baby syndrome' that limits the capability of red blood cells to deliver oxygen to the rest of the body.
Some can inherit the disorder genetically, although it is also commonly associated with exposure to certain recreational drugs, medications or chemicals like nitrous oxide, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Per the medical examiner's office, the nine-year-old received nitrous oxide, which is commonly used in dental practice as a less potent anesthetic, in the cocktail of sedatives she received for her procedure.
She also had other drugs routinely used in anesthesia practice like dexamethasone, glycopyrrolate, hydromorphone, isoflurane, ketorolac, midazolam, ondansetron, propofol and sevoflurane in her system when she passed, per the medical examiner's report.
Student pilot in SR-76 emergency plane landing sentenced to prison for drug trafficking
FOX 5/KUSI reached out to Dreamtime Dentistry for comment on the new details and is awaiting response.
Dr. Ryan Watkins, the 9-year-old's dentist and anesthesiologist, said in a previous statement Dreamtime was 'deeply saddened by the tragic passing of our young patient, which occurred several hours after her completed dental procedure.'
'Our hearts break for the family during this unimaginable time of grief, and we extend our deepest condolences as we maintain our focus on supporting the family and cooperating fully with the medical investigation,' the statement went on.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Harney Poway sushi restaurant targeted in early morning robbery
POWAY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)– An attempted robbery of the Harney Poway, a small sushi restaurant on Poway Road, early Sunday morning left the workers of the business shaken, but not defeated. Just before noon Sunday, the Poway Sheriff's Station received the report when an employee of the sushi restaurant notified the station, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's office. According to the report, on Sunday, around 2 a.m., surveillance footage from the restaurant showed an unknown individual entering the business. The restaurant's cash register was reportedly stolen. Harney Poway released photos of the incident on their social media, showing the burglar, who was wearing a hoodie and gloves, looking at items and rummaging through countertops. According to the post on the restaurant's social media, the individual broke into the back of the restaurant by picking the lock. The restaurant also stated that no one was injured during the robbery, and the only item taken was a cash register that had change in it. The sheriff's office said the investigation is in the preliminary stages and they have not determined if the incident is related to a series of other crimes throughout the county. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Axios
3 days ago
- Axios
Trump to deploy National Guard to D.C. and federalize city police
President Trump announced Monday that he's seizing control of D.C.'s police force and deploying the National Guard into the city. Why it matters: It's a major escalation of a federal crackdown already underway in the nation's capital as Trump targets crime in the District following the assault of a former DOGE staffer. The big picture: The news comes on what Trump is calling the " Liberation Day" of D.C., which he has said is "one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the World," despite crime declining in the District. What they're saying: "We're going to take our Capital back," Trump said at the Monday press conference. "[It's] been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people, and we're not going to let it happen anymore." State of play: Around 450 federal law enforcement officers from departments including the Amtrak Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of the Interior were already deployed across the city Saturday and Sunday nights, according to Fox 5 and the White House. Officers made multiple arrests Saturday night, including for larceny, carrying pistols with a license, and a "final order of removal" of an undocumented immigrant, per the White House. They also confiscated drugs like fentanyl, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. Officers also made several arrests on Friday and claimed multiple guns, per Fox 5. Between the lines: The D.C. Guard says it has some 2,700 personnel available. It's the country's only National Guard unit reporting exclusively to the president.
Axios
4 days ago
- Axios
Trump ups rhetoric on D.C. crime and homelessness amid federal crackdown
President Trump upped his rhetoric about disarray in D.C. over the weekend while federal law enforcement officers spread across the city under a week-long crime crackdown. Why it matters: The president has hinted more action is coming for the District — heplans to host a press conference Monday at 10am with a lofty goal: "ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation's Capital," per a post on Truth Social. He'll also address cleanliness and "General Physical Renovation" of D.C. The big picture: Trump's view that crime in the nation's capital is "totally out of control" comes as crime is declining in the city. Nonviolent arrests are up under Trump's " D.C. Safe and Beautiful" executive order, which launched a federal task force in March. Driving the news: Trump ordered homeless individuals to "move out" of the city in a Sunday Truth Social post, vowing to "make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before." He promised individuals "places to stay," but "FAR from the Capital." Trump added that "[c]riminals" would be jailed — where he said they "belong" — and that it all will happen "very fast." State of play: The FBI is deploying approximately 120 agents across the city in overnight shifts to assist D.C. police in combating crimes such as carjackings, according to The Washington Post. The Secret Service and the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division have also been instructed to begin patrols. The Trump administration hasn't coordinated with D.C. police on how best to deploy these federal officers across the city, reports the Post. Meanwhile, around 450 federal law enforcement officers from departments including the Amtrak Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of the Interior were deployed Saturday night across the city, Fox 5 reports. Officers made several arrests on Friday and claimed multiple guns, per Fox 5. What they're saying: "In just a few nights, President Trump's bold actions to Make D.C. Safe Again have already removed dangerous weapons and illegal drugs from D.C. streets — and that's not even taking into account the countless potential crimes that were deterred thanks to a large, visible law enforcement presence," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson tells Axios in a statement. Mayor Muriel Bowser, appearing on MSNBC's "The Weekend" Sunday, emphasized the decline in violent crime in the city for the second straight year, saying, "We are not experiencing a crime spike." "Any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false," she stated. Between the lines: On Sunday, police chief Pamela Smith announced a temporary Juvenile Curfew Zone in Navy Yard after a teen shooting over the weekend. It prohibits persons under 17 from gathering in groups of nine or more from 8-11pm through Wednesday. Last week, Trump slammed the city for being too lax on juvenile offenders following an assault on a former DOGE staffer, after which two teens were arrested. Context: Last month, the president signed an executive order seeking to make it easier for cities to remove people experiencing homelessness, directing placement in "long-term" institutions for treatment to "restore public order." Advocacy groups slammed the order, which encourages the use of involuntary civil commitment — a process of placing people with mental health issues in treatment facilities without their consent. Between the lines: Trump can't just "federalize" D.C. A takeover would require Congress to overturn the city's home rule, which allows residents to elect their mayor and council members. Under that arrangement, Congress retains oversight of city laws, and the president can temporarily take over D.C. police if he "determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist."
