Texas Toddler Dies After Going to Dentist, Health Officials Launch Investigation

Texas girl reportedly had anesthesia while being treated.

ByABC News
March 31, 2016, 4:29 PM

— -- Health authorities have launched an investigation after a Texas toddler died after receiving dental work.

Daisy Lynn Torres, who was 14 months old, died on Tuesday after going to Austin Children's Dentistry for a procedure, according to the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office. A fundraising page set up for the family reported that Daisy went to the dentist to have a cavity filled and was put under anesthesia. It goes on to say that she quit breathing and was rushed by ambulance to a hospital, where she passed away.

The toddler was rushed to the North Austin Medical Center after suffering complications from the procedure and was pronounced dead that day, according to the Travis County Medical Examiner. The cause of death is still pending.

A spokeswoman for the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners confirmed to ABC News that the board was investigating a patient death at the Austin Children's Dentistry. Any patient death related to dental treatment is investigated, the board said.

Austin Children's Dentistry did not immediately respond to a request by ABC News for comment. A spokeswoman for the dental office told KVUE that these types of procedures are handled all the time and that the clinic is heartbroken by the events.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. This is a tragedy, and we're just waiting to learn more information from the medical examiner's office," Sarah Marshall, spokeswoman for Austin Children’s Dentistry, told KVUE. "We want to keep the privacy of the family, legal privacy, and just respectful privacy of the family."

The family of the toddler released a statement saying the girl was "healthy" when she went in for a procedure.

"Daisy was a happy, healthy, baby. She was playing with the family on Easter. She went to the dentist and didn’t come home," the family said in a statement to KVUE.