News / International
3-year-old girl dies after undergoing a dental procedure
04 Jan 2014 at 19:31hrs | Views
suffered massive brain damage after undergoing a dental procedure
Finley Boyle, a 3-year-old Hawaii girl who suffered massive brain damage after undergoing a dental procedure last month, died Friday night, a hospice said Saturday.
The girl died with her family by her side, said Kenneth L. Zeri, president and chief professional officer of Hospice Hawaii.
"There are few greater privileges in life than to accompany someone on their end-of-life journey, providing comfort and support not only to that person but also to their loved ones," the statement said. "As with all of our patients, we were truly blessed to be able to be there for The Boyle Family and for Finley at the end of her journey."
Finley's parents are suing a Kailua, Hawaii, dentist, alleging negligence and dangerous conduct.
The lawsuit, filed against Lilly Geyer and her practice, Island Dentistry for Children, alleges improper medications with incorrect dosages were administered to the girl on December 3, according to court documents filed this week.
"As a direct and proximate result of the medications administered to (Finley) by defendants, (Finley) suffered cardiac arrest during her dental procedure," the lawsuit says.
It alleges that, as a further result of improper medications, Finley "suffered severe and permanent brain damage."
Neither Geyer nor her attorney, John Nishimoto, responded to CNN's requests for comment. The Island Dentistry website states it has been permanently closed and directs patients to an e-mail address.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Hawaii's First Circuit Court, alleges that Geyer had no plan in place to respond to medical emergencies, such as the one Finley suffered. It seeks unspecified damages.
Finley's mother, Ashley Boyle, said she first took her daughter to the dentist in November, when she was told her daughter needed six fillings and four root canals, she said.
They returned in December to undergo the root canals, Boyle said.
The parents allege that Finley was sedated and left unmonitored for 26 minutes.
Finley was moved from a hospital to the hospice in late December.
Finley's pediatric neurologist, Dr. Gregory Yen, said MRIs showed the girl suffered severe brain damage and that she was in a "persistent vegetative state."
The girl died with her family by her side, said Kenneth L. Zeri, president and chief professional officer of Hospice Hawaii.
"There are few greater privileges in life than to accompany someone on their end-of-life journey, providing comfort and support not only to that person but also to their loved ones," the statement said. "As with all of our patients, we were truly blessed to be able to be there for The Boyle Family and for Finley at the end of her journey."
Finley's parents are suing a Kailua, Hawaii, dentist, alleging negligence and dangerous conduct.
The lawsuit, filed against Lilly Geyer and her practice, Island Dentistry for Children, alleges improper medications with incorrect dosages were administered to the girl on December 3, according to court documents filed this week.
"As a direct and proximate result of the medications administered to (Finley) by defendants, (Finley) suffered cardiac arrest during her dental procedure," the lawsuit says.
It alleges that, as a further result of improper medications, Finley "suffered severe and permanent brain damage."
Neither Geyer nor her attorney, John Nishimoto, responded to CNN's requests for comment. The Island Dentistry website states it has been permanently closed and directs patients to an e-mail address.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Hawaii's First Circuit Court, alleges that Geyer had no plan in place to respond to medical emergencies, such as the one Finley suffered. It seeks unspecified damages.
Finley's mother, Ashley Boyle, said she first took her daughter to the dentist in November, when she was told her daughter needed six fillings and four root canals, she said.
They returned in December to undergo the root canals, Boyle said.
The parents allege that Finley was sedated and left unmonitored for 26 minutes.
Finley was moved from a hospital to the hospice in late December.
Finley's pediatric neurologist, Dr. Gregory Yen, said MRIs showed the girl suffered severe brain damage and that she was in a "persistent vegetative state."
Source - CNN
