AUSTIN — Authorities are investigating the death of a toddler as she was getting a cavity filled Tuesday at a dentist's office.
Daisy Lynn Torres, 14 months old, had come to Austin Children's Dentistry for what was supposed to be a routine procedure, according to a YouCaring page that a family friend set up to help pay for the girl's funeral expenses. That page and a GoFundMe page had raised more than $10,000 as of Thursday night.
While under anesthesia, Daisy stopped breathing, was rushed to North Austin Medical Center and was pronounced dead a little before noon Tuesday, according to the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office.
"This is a tragedy, and we're just waiting to learn more information from the medical examiner's office," said Sarah Marshall, a spokeswoman for Austin Children’s Dentistry. "We want to keep the privacy of the family, legal privacy, and just respectful privacy of the family.”
The dentist's office has been open for 40 years, she said. And these procedures are performed all of the time and all protocols were followed.
Children often get their first teeth as early as 3 months old, but they can emerge as late as a year old. By age 3, a child has a full set of baby teeth.
An autopsy was performed Wednesday and a cause of death is pending. A spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office said officials expect a fairly lengthy investigation into Torres’ death.
The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners also has opened a case, Lara Anton, board spokeswoman, told the Austin American-Statesman. None of the six dentists listed as working for Austin Children’s Dentistry have been disciplined in Texas previously, according to board records.
"Daisy was a happy, healthy, baby," said Jessica Castaneda, Daisy’s aunt. "She was playing with the family on Easter. She went to the dentist and didn’t come home.”
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