Doctor Charged After Fatal Circumcision Mistake
A doctor from Orange County has been charged in connection with the tragic death of a two-day-old baby boy. Dr. Hongan Zhang faces felony manslaughter charges following a botched circumcision procedure at his clinic in Garden Grove in February 2024.
As a result of the charges, Zhang’s medical license has been suspended while the case is ongoing. He entered a plea of not guilty on February 19, and a pretrial hearing is set for May 1.
Zhang had advised the baby’s mother during childbirth and suggested the circumcision. However, during the procedure, instead of administering the standard local anesthetic, he allegedly injected the newborn, Charles Wang, with the narcotic painkiller Demerol.
After the surgery, Charles was taken home, but his parents noticed he seemed lethargic and struggled to nurse. When they consulted Zhang, he allegedly reassured them that these symptoms were typical and there was no cause for alarm.
The parents, Yi Qi Wang and Hongyu Lu, became increasingly worried. Returning to the clinic, they reported that Zhang once again downplayed their concerns about their son’s condition. They have since filed a civil lawsuit against Zhang and Southcoast Global Medical Center, claiming he dismissed symptoms that suggested opiate use without conducting necessary tests.
Tragically, Charles was found unresponsive the next morning. An autopsy revealed that he died from bronchopneumonia, a complication resulting from acute Demerol intoxication.
A toxicology report indicated that there was no local anesthetic detected in his system, only high levels of Demerol—something typically avoided in these procedures.
The Wangs learned about the misuse of the painkiller only after legal actions began against Zhang. They assert that he had misled them about the medication used during the surgery.
In a court statement, Detective Brian Feeling voiced concerns that Zhang’s actions were both negligent and preventable. Zhang has reportedly stated that while the clinic had Demerol available, he didn’t confuse it with the intended anesthetic.
In addition to the criminal charges, the Wang family is pursuing civil claims against Zhang for wrongful death, medical malpractice, and fraud.
Reportedly, Dr. Zhang has stepped away from his medical career. He completed his medical training at the National Taiwan University College of Medicine in 1967.
Despite the unfortunate incident, fatalities from circumcision are quite rare in the United States, with statistics suggesting only about 100 infants die from procedures and related complications each year.
