Salisbury toddler dies after dental surgery in Greensboro, family seeks answers

A Salisbury family is demanding answers after their toddler died following complications at an oral surgery center in Greensboro. 

"He always loved to play around. He loved T-Rexs,” said father David Mitchell. “He even went to his dental surgery center with his T-Rex as well."

Mitchell said his healthy two-year-old son Er’mias Mitchell was ready for surgery Thursday morning to get some cavities fixed.

But after undergoing anesthesia at Valleygate Dental Surgery Center, something wasn’t right.

Er’mias’s parents said nurses told them his lung collapsed just after 7 a.m. 

"He was all good this morning, nothing was wrong,” David remarked. “They checked his heartbeat, checked his weight and checked everything. It was all good until they took him back in the room."

The family said they did not get the chance to ride with him in the ambulance.

"We was like, 'So where's our son?',” David continued. “He was already gone in the ambulance, and we was like, 'Why didn't y'all tell us?'"

The Valleygate Dental Surgery Center provided a statement in response to this incident. They stated that while rare, complications can occur unexpectedly even under carefully controlled circumstances. 

Since 2019, more than 13,000 patients have safely received care at their location, the surgery center said. 

“Our thoughts are with their family and loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time,” the statement continued. “The health and well-being of every patient is our highest priority. Our staff includes an array of highly experienced and board-certified physician anesthesiologists, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and nurses. Our professionals are dedicated to providing a caring, nurturing environment where comfort, dental health, and safety are of primary importance.”

David said Er’Mias was his only child and loved by everyone around him. He said the boy’s mother loved him more than life itself. 

"This being her miracle baby, just, it's like a life is stolen from her, and we don't know what to do,” said David.

Er’Mias’s grandmother, Kyra Smith, said she doesn’t want any other family to endure this pain. 

“There's no coming back from this,” said Smith. “Never would I have thought that I'd only have two years with my baby. It's traumatizing, so I just want families to be aware. I want to bring awareness. I don't want to let his name go in vain. I want them to say his name - Er'Mias Lewis Mitchell."

Valleygate Dental Surgery Center said they are actively reviewing the incident in collaboration with all relevant agencies. They said while they cannot comment on specifics, they will provide updates as appropriate, and in a manner respectful to the privacy of the family.