Fort Worth Dentist Accused in 4-Year-Old’s Death Kept Practicing for Months as Investigation Unfolded
A Fort Worth pediatric dentist charged in connection with the death of a 4-year-old girl during a routine dental procedure will not reopen her office this week despite a sign on the door suggesting otherwise. Her attorney confirmed the closure will continue beyond the posted date.
,Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill faces a charge of injury to a child in connection with the April 2026 death of Aithana Rodriguez Arriaga., ,The incident occurred on April 1 at Cuddle Kids Dental Care during what was supposed to be a minor tongue-tie procedure.,
,Investigators say Hemphill gave Aithana an oral liquid solution of meperidine along with two additional sedatives and nitrous oxide., ,The medical examiner found that the amount of meperidine in Arriaga’s system would have been high for an adult and that the medication appeared to have been given twice.,
,Hemphill is also accused of giving the child a reversal medicine intended for a different type of sedative, improperly monitoring her breathing and misinterpreting signs that the child was suffocating., ,Because meperidine is an opioid Narcan should have been administered but the defendant could not show investigators where the practice stored Narcan during a search warrant at the office.,
,The Fort Worth Police Department opened a criminal investigation in June only after Arriaga’s mother personally brought her daughter’s autopsy findings to the department., In the months between the child’s death and the police investigation Hemphill continued to see patients as permitted by the state dental board.
,When investigators searched the office they say they found leftover medications left in syringes for future use., A consulting dentist told investigators the practice of keeping used syringes for other patients was not only unsanitary but created serious dosing risks.
,Hemphill was arrested on July 15 and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury., ,She was released after posting a $10,000 bond and if convicted faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.,
Parents of other children treated by Hemphill after Aithana’s death are now calling for legal reform. ,One parent whose daughter and niece were also treated by Hemphill said families deserve to know who they are trusting their children with and expressed grief for the mother of Aithana.,
An Austin-based safety advocate with Texas Watch says the case exposed failures at every level and called for urgent changes including mandatory training to recognize respiratory distress proper regulatory oversight and a reform of the state’s cap on non-economic damages in medical cases.
Hemphill’s attorney released a statement saying the charges in the affidavit are not proof and that his client is presumed innocent. He stated his team intends to hold the government to its burden of proof and will allow the facts to be tested in a courtroom.
Under the terms of the emergency license suspension issued the same day as her arrest Hemphill may perform limited administrative tasks but is prohibited from carrying out or delegating any clinical work.