Former dentist Bethaniel Jefferson has been sentenced to five years probation after a "screw-up" resulted in a four-year-old patient being left brain-damaged.
As reported by the New York Post, Jefferson was convicted this week for recklessly causing severe bodily harm to patient Nevaeh Hall - now 11 - but sentenced only to probation. This shocking case, rooted in a catastrophic 2016 incident, has sparked anger among medical experts, Hall's family, and prosecutors alike.
According to a report by the Houston Chronicle, Jefferson was found guilty of causing irreversible brain damage to Nevaeh during dental surgery. Her attorney, John Kovach, admitted Jefferson "screwed up" during the procedure.
The little girl began experiencing seizures during the procedure. Astonishingly, Jefferson failed to call 911 for over five hours while the child endured three separate seizures. Instead, the dentist administered a Halcion pill—typically used for treating insomnia—to the then-four-year-old.
Medical experts have unanimously concurred that Halcion is not intended for children, thereby putting Jefferson's medical decision-making into serious question.
"I don't think justice was served," Assistant District Attorney Gilbert Sawtelle commented, highlighting that Jefferson appeared "more worried about herself than that little girl's life." This sentiment was echoed by Nevaeh's grandmother, Clara Clark, who declared the verdict as "very unfair," stating that Jefferson "should have gotten prison time."
Dr. Amy Arrington, one of the physicians who treated Nevaeh, reported Jefferson to the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, noting in court: "It's not something I took lightly. I felt [Jefferson's treatment] was below the standards of medical care." Another medical expert, Dr. Roger Byrne, confirmed that "administering the Halcion drug was a mistake."
Prosecutors had initially sought a 20-year prison sentence for Jefferson. Although the jury recommended a 10-year sentence, they also advised community supervision. Consequently, the judge ruled a five-year probation for Jefferson.
This isn't the first time Jefferson has come under scrutiny. The former dentist had previously been reprimanded twice by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners before the horrifying incident with Nevaeh Hall, only adding fuel to the fire of public opinion against her, per PEOPLE.
As for Nevaeh Hall, her life has been irrevocably altered. Last year, her family was awarded a $95 million settlement, as reported by ABC 13. Currently 11 years old, Nevaeh cannot walk, talk, or eat independently due to the brain injuries she sustained from a lack of oxygen during the fateful incident.
"We were just a normal family, and when it happened, everything just changed," said Courissa Clark, Nevaeh's mother. "She used to be full of life. She was very happy, very outgoing. She loved people. She was a people person. Now, to me, she's still the same person. Still love her the same as if she was right, if she was walking around."
