Two children have died after being treated at a Kool Smiles practice in Yuma, AZ, over the past two years. The practice now faces a wrongful death lawsuit concerning the death of a 4-year-old girl, and the death of a 2-year-old boy is being investigated.
The girl, Lizeth Lares, developed a fever after visiting the practice for an abscessed tooth in February 2016. She returned to the practice the next day and was told she would recover, according to a report by ABC15. An infection apparently spread, and the child died a few days after treatment.
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the practice, with a court date scheduled for February 2019.
In a statement cited by ABC15, Kool Smiles said there was no relationship between the care provided and child's death.
"An examination of the extraction site was normal; however, it was noted that Lizeth was coughing and presented cold-like symptoms, and the parent was advised to take the child to a physician for further evaluation," the company stated. "Kool Smiles had no further contact with the patient."
The second death occurred in December 2017, when the 2-year-old boy presented at the same practice for a crown and filling, according to multiple news reports. The child stopped breathing during the procedure and was taken to a local hospital. He was later airlifted to another hospital for additional treatment but died four days after the appointment.
The medical examiner's office in Maricopa County in Arizona is investigating this death. There has been no determination of the cause and manner of death at press time.
