Investigators allege the child received a toxic amount of an opioid medication before a tongue-tie procedure at a dental office.
FORT WORTH, TX — A pediatric dentist has been charged with a felony after authorities said a 4-year-old girl died from drug toxicity following a dental procedure at a Fort Worth clinic in April.
Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill, 48, was arrested July 15 on a charge of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury, according to police and court records cited by local news organizations. The second-degree felony charge stems from the death of Aithana Rodriguez Arriaga, who became unresponsive after a frenectomy, commonly called a tongue-tie procedure, at Cuddle Kids Dental Care.
Fort Worth firefighters were called to the dental office in the 5300 block of Sycamore School Road on April 1. Aithana was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner determined that she died from meperidine toxicity, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.
Meperidine, also known by the brand name Demerol, is an opioid pain medication. Investigators allege Hemphill gave Aithana an oral solution containing the medication, along with two other sedating drugs and nitrous oxide. Each of the medications can affect breathing, and their combined use increased the need for close monitoring, according to medical experts consulted during the investigation.
The affidavit states that testing found 793 nanograms of meperidine per milliliter in the child’s system. A doctor told investigators that a therapeutic level for an adult is generally between 200 and 500 nanograms per milliliter. The medical examiner said the amount detected in Aithana would have been high even for an adult and indicated that she had received the medication twice, the affidavit alleges.
Investigators said Hemphill told them she gave the medication to calm Aithana before the procedure. The affidavit alleges that Hemphill and members of her staff could not immediately tell investigators how much had been administered. Authorities have not said that the allegations have been proven in court, and the filing of a criminal charge does not establish guilt.
The warrant also describes alleged problems with the response after Aithana became unresponsive. Hemphill began chest compressions, and another dentist who had been on a lunch break helped perform CPR until emergency crews arrived, investigators said. Medical experts told detectives that the child was not properly monitored and that signs of breathing trouble were not recognized soon enough.
According to the affidavit, flumazenil was administered as staff tried to revive the girl. That drug reverses the effects of certain benzodiazepine medications. A pediatric dental anesthesiologist told investigators that naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, was needed to reverse the breathing effects of the opioid. The affidavit alleges naloxone was not given until later at the hospital.
Hemphill and staff members told investigators that Aithana had breathing problems that had not been disclosed before the appointment, the warrant states. Detectives wrote that the girl’s doctors disputed that account, saying she had no known history of breathing problems and was otherwise healthy. One doctor also told investigators that he did not believe she had a tongue-tie and questioned why the procedure was performed.
Fort Worth police said the department’s Crimes Against Children Unit investigated the death and concluded that an offense had occurred. The detective who prepared the affidavit alleged that Hemphill’s administration of the medication, monitoring of the child and emergency response showed neglect that contributed to Aithana’s death.
Aithana attended Dan Powell Early Learning Academy in the Everman Independent School District. The district described her as a cherished member of its school community and said her death continued to affect students and staff. Her family described her in an online fundraising post as a joyful and kind child whose presence brightened a room.
The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners held an emergency meeting after Hemphill’s arrest and suspended her dental license, according to CBS News Texas. The board determined that her continued practice would pose a clear or continuing threat to a person’s health or well-being. Hemphill has been licensed to practice dentistry in Texas since 2017.
Cuddle Kids Dental Care had not responded to a request for comment reported by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Information about Hemphill’s legal representation, a plea or her next scheduled court appearance was not publicly available in the reports reviewed. The criminal case remains pending.
Author note: Last updated July 17, 2026.