Girl's Death Blamed on Sedatives in Dentist's Chair

Drugs are likely to blame for the death of Finley Boyle, the 3-year-old Hawaii girl who died a month after going into cardiac arrest during a root canal at a Kailua dentist's office on Dec. 3, according to the official autopsy report. The report says the combination of sedatives and anesthesia Finley received during the procedure probably caused her death, the AP reports. The report noted that Finley was healthy, and ruled out any signs of an underlying heart condition or an allergic reaction.

The medical examiner's office ruled the toddler's death an accident, and no charges have been brought against Dr. Lilly Geyer, KHON reports; however, Finley's family has filed a lawsuit claiming Finley was not monitored for 26 minutes while she was under sedation. Geyer's office has since shut down, but Geyer's attorney calls the Boyle family's allegations "unproven." (Meanwhile, a young mother in Hawaii is in a coma following wisdom teeth surgery.)