State regulators on Wednesday abruptly suspended the midwifery license of Georgetown practitioner Salli M. Gonzalez after investigators tied two clients' deaths to her care. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) said the move was an emergency action that bars Gonzalez from practicing until a court restores her license. The cases under review involve an infant death in February 2023 and the death of a mother in April 2023.
Emergency order from the state
According to FOX 7 Austin, TDLR characterized the suspension as an emergency step and said Gonzalez is prohibited from providing midwifery services unless and until a court restores her license. The station reports that the agency concluded Gonzalez’s conduct could place pregnant clients and unborn children at risk, prompting regulators to move quickly.
Regulators flagged social-media remarks
As part of the investigation, TDLR reviewed a social-media conversation between Gonzalez and another midwife about complications that would typically trigger a transfer recommendation to a higher level of care. In that exchange, Gonzalez reportedly wrote, “Those things are not concerning to me,” FOX 7 Austin reports. Regulators told the station that, combined with other findings, the comments suggested a pattern of care that did not follow the Texas Midwifery Law and Rules.
Alleged violations and penalty
Local reporting indicates TDLR has assessed a $3,375 administrative penalty against Gonzalez for several alleged breaches, including use of a surgical instrument for something other than cutting an umbilical cord or providing emergency first aid, incomplete or illegible health records, and practicing in a manner deemed inconsistent with public health and safety, according to KTRE. The station reports that those items appear on the agency's enforcement record tied to Gonzalez.
What the rules require
The Texas midwifery rules and TDLR enforcement guidance make timely transfer recommendations and clear, legible documentation core duties for licensed midwives. Failure to recommend or complete an emergency transfer when indicated is listed as a reportable violation, and TDLR's midwife sanctions matrix describes transfer and documentation failures as violations that can result in suspension, fines, or revocation of a license. TDLR outlines those standards in its public enforcement materials.
Local ties and what happens next
Gonzalez has been associated with local birthing services in the Austin area, and provider records list an address in Seguin, according to business and provider listings. The emergency order will remain in effect until a court restores her license or TDLR authorizes lifting the suspension. The agency has used similar emergency actions in prior midwifery enforcement cases, including a 2025 suspension involving a Houston-area midwife reported by public outlets. Central Texas Birthing Services and a provider registry show Gonzalez's local affiliations and listings.
