Charges Against Dentist in Child’s Death Dropped

A dentist charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of a 4-year-old boy was cleared Monday when a prosecutor said the youngster had an underlying heart problem and the cause of his death could not be determined.

The charge against Dr. Gabriella Thanh-Ngoc Pham was dropped more than two years after Javier Villa died while being treated at a Santa Ana dental clinic. Pham was accused of gross negligence in the child’s death, but prosecutors could not prove the accusation beyond a reasonable doubt in order to obtain a conviction, said district attorney spokeswoman Tori Richards.