Virginia will pay $100,000 to the family of a 6-year-old boy who died while under sedation at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Dental Faculty Practice in Richmond last year, NBC12 reported.
The commonwealth maintained that it is not liable for the boy's death, and a judge has yet to determine whether to approve the settlement, according to the news report.
Jacobi Hill was anesthetized on May 11, 2010, to have crowns put on several of his teeth. Shortly after the procedure was completed and the breathing tube was removed, Jacobi went into cardiac arrest and died.
The state medical examiner's office determined that he died of an irregular heartbeat caused by removal of the breathing tube, which was deemed "natural." Jacobi had asthma, but other health issues were unknown.
The family disagreed with the determination and filed a lawsuit, claiming he received negligent care from the dentist, nurses, and the medical center where he was treated. The dentist who treated Jacobi also is being sued.
