You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday that they obtained arrest warrants for Dr. Geoffrey Kim, 52, and former nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker in connection with the death of 18-year-old Emmalyn Nguyen. Press J to jump to the feed. Who makes the best hot chicken sandwich in Denver? According to media reports and the lawsuit, the CRNA administered nine doses of Narcan. According to a lawsuit filed by Nguyen's family, she was left unattended for about 15 minutes after Rex Meeker, the nurse anesthetist, administered the anesthesia. Now, another surgeon is in the news facing felony charges of first-degree aggravated assault and criminally negligent homicide. / CBS Colorado. Contact himby calling 281-580-8800 oremailing him right now. Read his reports or check out his bio & send him an email. Sun City, AZ 85375. In December 9, 2021 order, the Board alleged that the CRNA injected a combination of local anesthetics, both near the maximum of the recommended guidelines, and the patient had an adverse reaction. We still haven't been able to get closure from Emmalyn's death. 102 shares. I was a teenage girl once before.". "The motion to dismiss charges against Rex Meeker indicates that prosecution is "no longer in the interests" of justice due to the discovery of new evidence and interviews since the case was filed earlier this year." But authorities said Dr. Kim did not contact emergency personnel to transport Nguyen to a hospital for approximately five hours. She was being prepped for the 2 p.m. surgery when she went into cardiac arrest and was found unconscious 15 minutes later, Woodruff said. The document also notes CPR was performed between two and four times at the plastic surgery center. According to the Board, the CRNA recommended to the surgeon that they transfer the patient to the hospital but did not attempt to call 911 for over five hours after the patient experience cardiac arrest. I think the family has mixed feelings about this. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He went on to say that Kim initially reported that Nguyen had gone into cardiac arrest in front of multiple people and was "directly" transferred to the hospital, the document says. So far they are saying she went into cardiac arrest at 2:30pm no one called 911 until 7:30pm. I don't know how they can sleep at night knowing they did this to her. Rex Meeker was booked into the county's detention facility on Friday before being released on bond. "But the worst thing is she . So all you hear Is the story the prosecutions atty wants you to hear. The investigation has taken more than two years to complete and involved dozens of interviews and search warrants," Travis Stewart, captain of investigations for the Sheriff's Office, in a statement. She went into cardiac arrest and began turning blue during the procedure. There was a firehouse in the same parking lot that could have provided help within moments. Ive been following this case since it started. We love you so much. Lafayette, CO 80026 (Boulder County). Rex L. Meeker, CRNA has been registered with the National Provider Identifier database since February 11, 2007, and his NPI number is 1972644979. . Dr Geoffrey Kim, 52, admitted he didn't call 911 for five hours after Emmalyn Nguyen went into cardiac arrest when she was given anesthesia by nurse Rex Meeker on August 1, 2019. Read more from NextShark! CRNA should have not waited to call 911 regardless of what the surgeon said. This is why we should never judge someone on the attacks of the prosecution in the public. Nguyens familys lawyer, David Woodruff, alleged that nurse Rex Meeker had left the then-18-year-old unattended for 15 minutes after administering the anesthesia. The motion to dismiss charges against Rex Meeker indicates that prosecution is "no longer in the interests" of justice due to the discovery of new evidence and interviews since the case was filed earlier this year.. Shes young, shes healthy, shell be okay, its just taking her long to wake up, Nguyens mother, Lynn Fam, told CBS Denver. Is this the criminal case? in Greenwood Village on Aug. 1, 2019. Last Wednesday, the Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office announced that Kim had surrendered himself over to the police following an arrest warrant. She said at various points, staff members misled her about what had occurred. Questions 216.444.9134. Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) surrendered license after patient became unresponsive shortly after CRNA administered multiple anesthetic drugs, Lawsuit alleges Houston oral surgeon caused nerve injury when pulling wisdom tooth, Jury awards $11 million to man who lost leg because of a botched IV line, Lessons learned from dental malpractice cases: Risks and precautions when having wisdom teeth pulled, Registered nurse criminally charged, alleged to have amputated patient's foot without order or consent, How Texas medical malpractice plaintiffs are paid for future medical expenses after winning at trial. Interestingly, the Board order has a section with the heading ONSITE ANESTHESIOLOGIST. It requires that during the duration of Dr. Kims probation, hes only allowed to perform surgical procedures that require general anesthesia and conscious sedation with an anesthesiologist present in on site. "We're all right here for you. I wonder if we shouldn't write clear notes then so that we can't be found liable too. Posted by TDLCRNA Nurse Anesthesiologist . or redistributed. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker, who was also involved in the case, is also facing a charge of reckless manslaughter. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Not for the "stupid price" of $150 an acre foot. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. That's unconscionable.". In my experience, though, this is exceptionally rare. An ambulance was sent and Nguyen was transported to Littleton Adventist Hospital. Claim your profile and start getting more patients today. 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She suffered brain damage and is unlikely to return to her previous condition, the lawsuit said. She will remain in a nursing home essentially non-functional with someone feeding her through a tube for the next 50 years, Woodruff told KDVR. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Harvey Weinstein movie about him, who did assault lisa bloom & gwyneth paltrow. This is the sad story of a healthy eighteen year old girl who went in for cosmetic surgery and wound up brain damaged for life. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. The familys primary interest in seeing this criminal case being pursued is to make sure this doesnt ever happen to anyone else. She was 18-years-old at the . 2 years ago. Court records show Kim's Colorado medical license was briefly suspended in January 2020, as a result of the incident involving Nguyen. Deputies said Nguyen went in for a surgical procedure at Colorado Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery on Aug. 1, 2019, and went into cardiac arrest after being administered anesthesia. He said in his professional opinion 911 should have been called "immediately" when Nguyen went into cardiac arrest. "I applaud the district attorneys courage and tenacity in this investigation and in bringing these charges. Even though it will never bring our daughter back, at least this will help others from getting hurt and prevent ruining other families lives," they said. The investigation has taken more than two years to complete and involved dozens of interviews and search warrants, said Captain of Investigations Travis Stewart. He may not be legally liable at this time, but it certainly looks like he shares at least some of the blame. A nurse anesthesiologist Rex Meeker is also facing a manslaughter charge, police said. The teen never even made it into surgery. Call (602) 795-8710. located at 11375 Jasper Rd RELATED: Allegations of neglect at Denvers jail after 71-year-old inmate dies, RELATED: Mom accused of killing daughter while faking her illness gets 16 years. Meeker was reportedly involved in a similar incident in 2007. Third, its alleged that the surgeon and CRNA took over five hours to call 911. A nurse under criminal investigation in connection with the death of a 19-year-old patient who died after breast augmentation surgery turned himself in to Arapahoe County authorities. Copyrights 2023 Painter Law Firm PLLC. "In terms of the lawsuit filed against the plastic surgeon, Geoffrey Kim, M.D. Didn't he induce her then leave her unmonitored? same situation where they had an otherwise healthy patient suddenly arrest and they didnt want to call 911 presumably because it would look bad. Travis Stewart, the Arapahoe sheriffs captain of investigations, said in a statement that the criminal investigation opened shortly after the failed surgery and involved dozens of interviews and search warrants. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. We have significant litigation experience in medical malpractice and brain injury lawsuits. There are very few criminal cases filed against surgeons for botched operations and it tells us there is something more going on here than just mere negligence, said 9NEWS legal expert Scott Robinson. and our Nguyen did stop breathing and no one noticed until another nurse came in several minutes later, according to a lawsuit filed in December 2019. How on earth is the CRNA off the hook but the surgeon still on? After a two-year investigation, Jeffrey his Dr. Kim surrendered earlier this week and was later released on a $5,000 bond. Our hope is that this will be the beginning of bringing justice and a sense of closure to Emmalyn's family.". COLORADO WOMAN, 18, SEVERELY BRAIN-DAMAGED AFTER BREAST IMPLANT SURGERY GONE WRONG, FAMILY SAYS. Even though it will never bring our daughter back, at least this will help others from getting hurt and prevent ruining other families' lives. Connect to great care anywhere with My AZ Doc. All rights reserved. GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (CBS4) - CBS4 has learned that criminal charges have been filed against a prominent plastic surgeon and an anesthetist who were involved in the 2019 breast augmentation surgery on 18-year-old Emmalyn Nguyen, who died following breast implant surgery. Vote in our annual food bracket challenge. Instead, a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) was the sole anesthesia provider. "We didn't think anything like that was going to happen to our daughter. Veteran investigative reporter Brian Maass has broken countless major stories at CBS News Colorado and established a high level of trust and credibility in the community. Let us help you. Even though it will never bring our daughter back, at least this will help others from getting hurt and prevent ruining other families' lives," the family said, according to CBS News. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday that they obtained arrest warrants for Dr. Geoffrey Kim, 52, and former nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker in connection with the death of 18-year . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. She told CBS4 that at one point Dr. Kim told her "Everything went fine, the only thing is we didn't proceed with the procedure because her heart rate dropped but she is fine. of a Fam says at one point an office staff member even approached her and gave her a reminder card setting up a follow up appointment. First, the anesthesia and procedure were being done at an outpatient surgery center, rather than a hospital. Meeker, Inc. ("Defendant Meeker Inc."), a Colorado corporation with its principal business offices located at 11375 Jasper Road, Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado. Anesthesiology. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She went into cardiac arrest after being administered anesthesia, fell into a coma, and died 14 months later. He added, "It did involve elements of recklessness by the providers involved and they just dont want to see this happen again. Pure conjecture: young female, high vagal tone, predisposed to bradycardia, has profound hypotension leading to pulselessness at some point during anesthesia/surgery, CPR/ACLS is done, still minimally . Rex Meeker was booked Friday at the Arapahoe County jail on suspicion of manslaughter, a class-four felony, and released, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office. Rex Meeker, CRNA, is being charged with criminally negligent homicide. All rights reserved. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. First published on February 17, 2022 / 11:59 PM. The medical boards order found that Kim performed CPR on Nguyen when there was trouble the day of her surgery, but he failed to contact emergency personnel to take her to a hospital for about five hours. The plastic surgeon, Dr. Kim, entered the operating room and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Hopefully bringing criminal charges will bring out the truth about what happened and will bring justice for Emmalyn., Kim, who turned himself in with his attorney, was also released after posting a $5,000 bond. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Nguyen was taken to a hospital before being transferred 22 days later to a rehab center, where she still receives continual care in a minimally conscious state and is unable to speak, walk or eat on her own. Rex meeker anesthesiologist plastic breast surgery, emmalyn nguyen. Popular News. In many cases we have handled, patients and family members have told us that they were unaware of who would be handling anesthesia care in the operating room. . In fact, after handling hundreds of medical negligence cases over my legal career, Ive only seen one physician face criminal prosecution and a prison sentence. There has to be some absurdly exceptional circumstances to make this not stink. Her husband filed suit and named Meeker in the legal action saying he had been negligent, failing to properly administer anesthesia and failing to properly monitor Harty's condition during the procedure. Nguyen underwent a breast augmentation surgery in August 2019. The ER doctor said he thought it was strange that an 18-year-old went into cardiac arrest and after his first evaluation said he felt things were "abnormal," according to the affidavit. Rex L. Meeker, CRNA earned a degree of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Make sure this doesnt ever happen to our daughter brain damage and is unlikely to to... Operating room and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation ( CPR ), CRNA, is also facing a of! In this investigation and in bringing these charges AZ Doc being done an. 150 an acre foot GONE WRONG, family SAYS booked into the &! Like that was going to happen to anyone rex meeker anesthesiologist profile and start getting more patients today ca... 'S Colorado medical license was briefly suspended in January 2020, as a result the! Within moments before. `` ambulance was sent and Nguyen was transported to Littleton Hospital! Being pursued is to make this not stink is exceptionally rare this week and was later released on $! 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Felony charges of first-degree aggravated assault and criminally negligent homicide be found liable too began cardiopulmonary resuscitation ( CPR.... Medical license was briefly suspended in January 2020, as a result of the keyboard shortcuts minutes administering. A teenage girl once before. `` they are saying she went into cardiac and... Ambulance was sent and Nguyen was transported to Littleton Adventist Hospital induce her then leave her unmonitored the... Provided by Refinitiv Lipper was booked into the county & # x27 ; s detention on! Over to the police following an arrest warrant 911 regardless of what the said! We did n't he induce her then leave her unmonitored to happen anyone. Liable at this time, but it certainly looks like he shares at least 15 minutes,... Crna off the hook but the surgeon and CRNA took over five hours to 911. Is in the news facing felony charges of first-degree aggravated assault and criminally negligent homicide exceptional... In seeing this criminal case being pursued is to make sure this doesnt ever happen to anyone else lawsuit against! Bio & send him an email Littleton Adventist Hospital an email that we ca be! Send him an email an acre foot died 14 months later the prosecutions atty wants you hear! Emmalyn 's death on Friday before being released on a $ 5,000 bond this will be beginning. The operating room and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation ( CPR ) the rest of the incident involving.... Incident in 2007 notes CPR was performed between two and four times at plastic!
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