Boy’s Death Moves Police to Spot-Check Health Clinics

Spurred by the death of a 13-month-old treated by a man who allegedly posed as a doctor, Santa Ana police, along with the state medical board and federal investigators, conducted the first in a series of random checks on medical clinics this week.

Spot checks on eight locations turned up one vacancy, six clinics in compliance and one with a possible minor violation for improper drug storage, said Sgt. Steve Despenas.

“We’re not targeting anyone; these are done randomly,” said Despenas. “There were no storm trooper tactics. We just want to make sure everyone is in compliance.”

The April 23 death of Christopher Martinez, who had been taken with flu-like symptoms to a clinic run by Gamaliel Moreno, sparked a flood of community outrage and Santa Ana Police Chief Paul M. Walters vowed that police and state medical examiners would verify the license of every doctor operating a clinic in city limits.

The toddler, who suffered diarrhea and vomiting, was injected five times with an unknown substance over three days of treatment. His parents were instructed not to give him any food or water.

Police have since issued a murder warrant for the arrest of Moreno, who has fled the area. His wife, Eulalia, was arrested at her home in Orange the day after the child died and charged with being an accessory to murder, practicing medicine without a license and falsifying evidence. She is being held on $100,000 bail.

The team of investigators plans to do checks weekly, said Despenas. The federal agents, from the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Food and Drug Administration, were on hand to determine if drugs were being used and stored properly.

In the area around the clinic, Consultorio Medico de Santa Ana, several other private health facilities operate, many catering to the large population of poor immigrants in the city. Most are run by licensed physicians.

“Everyone was very cooperative,” Despenas said. “We’re not going there with the assumption of charging someone. These are just professional inspections.”

He declined to identify the clinics by name. Investigators had compiled a list of clinics based on the state medical board’s files of licensed physicians practicing in the area as well as from the city’s business licensing department. Despenas estimates there are 20 to 30 clinics in Santa Ana.