California parents Jose Hernandez and Araceli Avila are mourning the loss of their 3-year-old daughter who died suddenly after a dental procedure on May 18.
KCRA reports that Daleyza Hernandez Avila was having two teeth pulled and getting caps on two other teeth at the Children’s Dental Surgery Center in Stockton when something went horribly wrong.
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The child’s mother, who said that Daleyza was under sedation for the procedure, was not allowed inside the room while her daughter was receiving treatment. Avila was waiting outside when she saw an ambulance arrive.
“And I stood up and went outside because I was like, ‘They are coming for a kid,’ but I never thought it was for my child,” Avila said.
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A few moments after the ambulance arrived nurses took Avila aside to tell her that something was wrong. Avila said that she was told her daughter’s heart had stopped, but that she was stable. The little girl later died at a local hospital. Her cause of death has not yet been determined.
“I’m looking for justice so what happened doesn’t happen to other mothers. So they don’t have to feel the same pain I feel after losing my daughter,” Avila said.
David Thompson, administrator for Children’s Dental Surgery Center, said that it’s not uncommon to have a 3, 4 or 5-year-old sedated for treatment. The non-profit center treats between 2,000 and 3,000 children each year.
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Stockton Police are investigating the girl’s death, but the investigation is not criminal at this point.
