March 21, 2006

Pompano Beach, FL

Dasia Washington, who had asthma and a birth defect that can
restrict the airway, stopped breathing in the dentist chair shortly
after receiving nitrous oxide gas to calm her and shots to numb her
mouth, according to police reports and state health records.

In statements to police the day of the death, both dentists said they
did not try to revive Dasia because she appeared to be breathing on
her own, her eyes were open and she had a weak pulse. But Coral
Springs paramedics who responded told police they found no signs
of life and could not revive her. She was pronounced dead at the
hospital.

“The one thing I did not see was CPR being performed. And I was
kind of shocked by that, you know, and we all talked about it like
we couldn’t believe that nothing was being done,” paramedic Laura
Young said in a statement to police. Read more.