A North Carolina family is searching for answers after their 2-year-old son died during what was supposed to be a routine dental procedure. David Mitchell and Shardé Sherrill brought their son, Er’Mias, to Valleygate Dental Surgery Center in July to receive tooth caps.
According to the family, they were unaware of any problems until nearly 40 minutes into the surgery. They were told of an emergency only after their child had been taken by ambulance to a hospital 30 minutes away. By the time his parents arrived, it was too late.
The cause of death remains unclear. KGNS News reported that while tooth cap procedures are generally considered safe, rare complications can occur that sometimes lead to fatal outcomes.
Valleygate CEO Virginia Jones sent a letter to staff and partners acknowledging uncertainty over what happened. “Let me be clear, we do not yet know what caused Er’mias’ tragedy,” Jones wrote. “We may never know. While exceedingly rare, unexpected events can occur, even under the most carefully controlled circumstances.”
Jones also addressed the delay in notifying the family, apologizing for the pain it caused. “The medical, dental, nursing, EMS, and hospital staff who responded to Er’mias did so with professionalism and did everything they could to prevent this tragedy,” the letter stated.
“In the urgency of the situation, our focus was solely on providing care. We regret that this prevented us from notifying his family sooner and recognize how painful that delay was.” The boy’s family has said they are still waiting for medical records.
They were told there may have been an issue involving his lungs and the anesthesia, but no official cause has been released. Both the Greensboro Police Department and the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners have launched investigations into the case.
Seeking accountability, relatives organized a protest outside Valleygate Dental Surgery Center on September 25. They handed out flyers that read, “Actions were unethical and we need answers as to why.” “You sat there, you waited, you never notified his parents,” said Constance McCrae, the boy’s great-aunt.
“You took this baby alone in an ambulance and told them they needed to go to the hospital…?” McCrae emphasized the shock of losing a child during a routine procedure. “This baby was going for dental work … dental work,” she said. “It wasn’t like he was going for open heart surgery.”
For now, the family continues to press for clarity, determined to understand why their child never came home from a procedure that should have been safe.