safety
Fort Worth dentist arrested after 4-year-old girl died following dental procedure
By Ahraya Burns and Maria Guerrero at NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) - Local
· July 15, 2026
· 3 min read
A Fort Worth dentist has been arrested more than three months after a 4-year-old girl died following a dental procedure, according to the Fort Worth Police Department.
Police arrested Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill, 48, on Tuesday after obtaining a warrant charging her with injury to a child causi...
Key takeaway Chrishelle Hemphill, 48, on Tuesday after obtaining a warrant charging her with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony.
Why this matters in Frisco News
The arrest of Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill raises concerns about the safety protocols in place at dental offices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including those in neighboring Collin County where Frisco residents often seek medical care. As the investigation into Aithana Rodriguez Arriaga's death continues, Frisco parents may be wondering about the measures their own pediatric dentists have in place to prevent similar tragedies. The allegations against Hemphill, including the administration of multiple sedating medications and failures in monitoring and emergency care, will likely prompt a re-examination of sedation practices and emergency preparedness in local dental offices. Frisco residents can expect increased scrutiny of dental care providers in the area, and potentially new guidelines or regulations to ensure that children receive safe and appropriate care. The community will be watching to see how local dental offices respond to this incident and what steps they take to prevent similar incidents in the future.
About this story
Original reporting by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) - Local . Frisco News surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) - Local . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: safety ·
Published: July 15, 2026 ·
Source: NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) - Local ·
Reading time: 3 min
Get more Frisco News stories like this
Free weekly briefing covering safety and other local news. Curated by our editorial team. No spam.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy . Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A Fort Worth dentist has been arrested more than three months after a 4-year-old girl died following a dental procedure, according to the Fort Worth Police Department.
Police arrested Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill, 48, on Tuesday after obtaining a warrant charging her with injury to a child causi...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 15, 2026 by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) - Local and curated for Frisco News readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Ahraya Burns and Maria Guerrero at NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS) - Local. To learn more about how Frisco News selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more safety coverage from Frisco News, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
← Back to all news
More safety →
Today’s briefing
Subscribe to newsletter