Tragic death of 9-year-old girl following dental procedure at Dreamtime Dentistry in Vista, California within San Diego County

VISTA, Calif. — A 9-year-old girl in Southern California died after undergoing a dental procedure where she was placed under anesthesia.

As per the medical examiner’s findings, after the child underwent a procedure at a recovery facility in San Diego County, she was released to return home. It was noted that the girl stayed asleep during the journey back and subsequently lost consciousness.

The girl was transported to Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego where she was pronounced dead.

A statement was issued by a PR agency on behalf of Dreamtime Dentistry located in Vista, California, carrying a message from Dr. Ryan Watkins, the dentist anesthesiologist at the clinic.

In the released statement, Watkins mentioned that after the procedure, the child was discharged in a stable state, awake, with steady vital signs and reflexes intact, under the care of her mother, adhering to their usual post-anesthesia guidelines.

Dreamtime Dentistry says they are fully cooperating with the medical examiner’s investigation.

“We are committed to ensuring all facts come to light,” read the statement. “We cannot discuss specific details due to privacy laws and the active investigation. We respectfully ask for patience as the medical examiner completes their work, as premature speculation may cause additional pain to the family.

The safety and well-being of our patients have always been and remain our highest priority. While we understand the concerns and questions surrounding this tragic event, we respectfully ask for patience as the investigation proceeds. For the sake of the family and the integrity of the process, we encourage restraint regarding speculation.

Our hearts break for the family during this unimaginable time of grief, and we extend our deepest condolences as we maintain our focus on supporting the family and cooperating fully with the medical investigation.”

ABC News contributed to this report.