BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Former OB-GYN Arthur Park has taken the stand in the wrongful death trial over the deaths of Demi Dominguez and her newborn son; a trial I have followed since day one.
Jurors are now hearing from the doctor who treated Dominguez, as well as her fiancé, Ruben Xavier DeLeon, who fought to save her life.
Dominguez, 23, died April 19, 2019, just three days after being discharged from Mercy Southwest Hospital, where she had been treated for high blood pressure. She was nearly 32 weeks pregnant at the time. Their newborn son, Malakhi, died hours later.
DeLeon took the stand to describe the life he and Dominguez were building, from their first apartment to assembling their baby's crib. But instead of bringing their son home, he described performing CPR on Dominguez after she suffered a seizure. DeLeon also told jurors he held Malakhi in his final moments.
At the center of the case is preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that can lead to seizures. The family's medical expert testified that five of Dominguez's blood pressure readings reached the severe range and said she should have remained hospitalized and received IV magnesium.
Park, who is representing himself, testified that Dominguez had preeclampsia, but not its severe form. He questioned some of her blood pressure readings, saying stress or problems with the cuff could have affected them.
Family attorney Courtney Rowley countered that those concerns were not documented in Dominguez's hospital records. Park also testified that nurses were required to notify him if Demi had confirmed severe blood-pressure readings, but said he never received such a call overnight.
During cross-examination, the family’s attorney, Courtney Rowley, pointed to nursing records documenting communications with Park about Demi’s elevated blood pressure and lab results.
In closing arguments, Rowley urged jurors to hold Park responsible, saying the warning signs were there and both lives could have been saved. Park disputes that his care caused their deaths.
Park asked for more time to prepare his closing argument, despite an objection from the family's attorney. The trial is expected to resume Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., when Park is set to deliver his final argument before the case goes to the jury.
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