October 27, 2004
WTAP News
Denise Alex
The Ohio State Dental Board has ruled that the actions of a Belpre dentist who administered a lethal dose of local anesthetic to a two-year-old West Virginia boy constituted malpractice.
Doctor James E. Kirkpatrick injected what experts testified was three times the manufacturer's maximum recommended dose of Prilocaine into Hunter Owens.
The boy died less than 90 minutes later on October 27th, 2004 at Camden Clark Memorial Hospital in Parkersburg. Kirkpatrick was attempting to extract eleven rotted teeth from the boy.
The board Wednesday ordered Kirkpatrick's practice closed after ruling that his intentional decision to push the limit of the anesthetic was egregious malpractice.
Kirkpatrick's lawyer says he will appeal the ruling in Washington County, Ohio, where Kirkpatrick lives.
WTAP called Kirkpatrick's office Thursday and a recored message says his office will be closed until Monday, November 7th, 2004
