Neveah Hall family outraged after dentist that left her disabled receives probation
Family upset after dentist gets probation
After waiting eight years to have their day in court, family members of a Houston girl who was left disabled by a dentist say they still don't have justice after the dentist was given probation. FOX 26's Damali Keith shares more on loved ones of the little girl who gave victim impact statements.
HOUSTON - After waiting eight years to have their day in court family members of a Houston girl who was left disabled by a dentist say they still don’t have justice.
Loved ones of little Neveah gave victim impact statements after the dentist, Bethaniel Jefferson, was sentenced to just probation. They say they can’t believe this dentist won’t serve any time in jail after causing the 4-year-old irreversible brain damage.
"The right thing to do was to call 911, but you refused to do so even though you knew she was in trouble. I would even say it was an accident but when you refused to seek help it became a crime," says Neveah’s grandmother Clara Clark.
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That was just part of Clark’s victim impact statement after a jury found little Neveah’s former dentist Bethaniel Jefferson guilty of Injury to a Child by Omission but loved ones say it’s a slap in the face that Jefferson’s sentence is five years probation.
"It’s just not fair. Obviously, she should be doing jail time and not just one or two years. She should be in there for a really long time," says Neveah’s mom Courissa Clark.
"Now that Neveah is in the condition she’s in it’s been a living hell emotionally, physically, mentally and financially," adds Neveah’s grandmother.
In 2016 4-year-old Neveah was taken to Jefferson for dental care. According to court records Jefferson gave the little girl medication that caused her to seize and continued giving her different drugs for hours.
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"You allowed a four-year-old to lay in your office seizing for over five hours with no oxygen," says the elder Clark.
When 911 was finally called loved ones say the ER doctor was enraged at the dentist. "He said you actually put medicine down her throat while she was seizing that caused her to aspirate," explains Neveah’s grandmother.
Neveah suffered oxygen loss, leaving her with severe brain damage. She can no longer speak, see, walk, or eat on her own.
"It’s really difficult. It’s real difficult. Every day, every hour, every minute, every second. Our daughter’s life is changed forever. Therefore, her life needs to be changed forever too. She gets a slap on the wrist? Come on now. That’s not right. It’s not right," says Neveah’s dad Derrick Hall.
The prosecutor says he can’t even bring himself to speak about how a case this egregious isn’t punished by prison time.
"I think you can read my face," says Gilbert Sawtelle and her grandmother adds, "Neveah has to deal with this for the rest of her life. Confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life".
The family’s home isn’t even wheelchair accessible.
Jefferson had her license revoked and can no longer practice dentistry. If she violates conditions of her probation Jefferson will have to serve 10 years in prison.