A devastating case out of California is sparking outrage after a doctor was charged in the death of a newborn baby following a routine procedure.
Dr. Hong-An Jan is facing a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter after two-day-old Charles Wang died in 2024, according to reports. Prosecutors say the tragedy may have been entirely preventable.
Authorities allege the doctor injected the infant with a powerful synthetic opioid during a circumcision performed on Feb. 27, 2024, at his private clinic in Garden Grove.
What happened next has left a family shattered.
According to investigators, the baby became lethargic and unresponsive shortly after the procedure. But instead of taking immediate action, the doctor allegedly told the parents the symptoms were “normal” and sent them home.
“Jan only ‘looked’ at [Charles] and reassured [his parents] that these symptoms were ‘normal’ post-circumcision reactions,” a lawsuit claims, noting that no blood tests or lab work were ordered despite warning signs consistent with opioid exposure.
The following day, the newborn was rushed to the hospital — where he was pronounced dead.
A toxicology report later revealed shocking details. Officials found high levels of Demerol, a Schedule II narcotic painkiller, in the baby’s system instead of the standard local anesthetic, Xylocaine.
Charles’ cause of death was ruled as bronchopneumonia due to acute Demerol intoxication.
In court, Irvine Police Detective Brian Feeling described the alleged actions as “negligent and preventable.”
Dr. Jan pleaded not guilty to the charge and is scheduled to return to court for a pre-trial hearing on May 1. His medical license was suspended by court order on Feb. 19, 2026, pending the outcome of the case.
The baby’s parents, Yiqi Wang and Hongyu Lu, have also filed a civil lawsuit accusing the doctor of wrongful death, medical malpractice, and fraud.
According to the complaint, Jan had overseen the mother’s care during childbirth and recommended the circumcision the day after Charles was born.
Now, what was supposed to be a routine procedure has turned into a criminal case — and a family’s worst nightmare.
The investigation remains ongoing.