3-year-old girl dies during dental procedure in California
The family of 3-year-old Daleyza Avila Hernandez has been wrought with grief since their little girl died while undergoing a dental procedure on Monday.
And now they're looking for answers.
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Daleyza's mother, Araceli Avila told KTXL: "I don't want this to happen to another mother like it's happening to me."
She said her toddler had been taken to the Children's Dental Surgery in Stockton, California.
"All I did was I took my daughter to the dentist because they were going to fix her teeth, and about 30 minutes later they brought her back dead," Avila continued.
A dentist told Avila she couldn't be present while the surgery took place, and she ended up seeing an ambulance pull up to the dentist's office while waiting for her daughter.
Soon after spotting the emergency vehicle, Avila said a nurse pulled her aside to inform her that there had been some complications with her daughter's procedure and that her heart stopped.
"My daughter was very healthy," Avila said of her daughter's health prior to the dental visit.
Avila said her daughter went in to have two teeth pulled and caps placed onto two other teeth.
David Thompson, the administrator of Children's Dental Surgery Center in Stockton, told the station Avila's daughter had a reaction to the anesthetics and was later sent to the hospital.
"It's a terrible, terrible tragedy honestly and our thoughts and prayers are really with the family right now," Thompson said.
Though he could not provide more information in regards to the anesthesiologist and the dentist who performed the procedure, Thompson said his staff is well-trained.
"We're committed to helping kids every single day. That's our mission, that's why we're here, it's risky not everyone wants to do it," he said.
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The Dental Board of California released the following statement:
"The Dental Board of California is aware of the tragic situation. An investigation is underway so specific details of the case cannot be shared at this time. Consumer protection is the board's highest concern and we want to extend our deepest sympathy to the family."
The Stockton Police Department is also conducting an investigation.
Update: A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover Daleyza Avila-Hernandez's funeral experiences.
