Attorney General’s Office files accusation against Bakersfield doctor for woman’s death during childbirth

Update 3:00 PM: Dr. Park was reached at his home in Seven Oaks and declined to comment. Dr. Hans Yu, who is named in a lawsuit filed by the Dominguez family, was not available for comment.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — An accusation has been filed by the office of Attorney General Xavier Becerra with the Medical Board of California against Doctor Arthur M. Park, accusing him of negligence in the death of a young mother and her infant during childbirth.

23-year-old Demi Dominguez died in April 2019 after being seen by Dr. Park. Dominguez, a student at CSU Bakersfield, had gone to Mercy Southwest to be treated for increased swelling and high blood pressure, but Park, the on-call obstetrician, discharged her the next morning with instructions to follow up with her outpatient provider, Dr. Hans Yu. The Board says there is no documentation that Park considered transferring her to a higher level of maternity care or keeping her in the hospital for continued observation.

She was brought back to the hospital just days later after her fiancé woke up to find her suffering from a seizure. She died and her baby was delivered through c-section, but did not survive.

According to the petition, Dr. Park failed to properly assess her condition, with the accusation saying “There is no documentation that [Park] ever spoke directly with Patient 1, ever obtained a history, ever performed a physical exam, and ever formulated in writing a differential diagnosis. Respondent never discussed his diagnosis with Patient 1, did not formulate a plan of care, never counseled her concerning the risks of her diagnosis or recommended precautions or follow-up.”

The state accuses Dr. Park of gross and repeated negligence in failing to diagnose Dominguez with preeclampsia with severe features, and also failing to give proper treatment to her or her fetus.

The Medical Board has already disciplined Dr. Park for other incidents, which are noted in the petition. His license was already on probation for a previous incident where a woman died after childbirth when Park allegedly showed negligence following the baby’s delivery. The petition calls for a hearing where the board will take further action against Dr. Park, which could include his Physician’s and Surgeon’s Certificate being revoked.