An Orange County obstetrician is facing both a criminal case and a wrongful-death lawsuit after a two-day-old infant died following a circumcision last year. The rare and devastating outcome has already led a judge to temporarily bar the physician from practicing while the cases move through Orange County courts.
Prosecutors allege that Dr. Hong-An Jan injected a synthetic opioid into newborn Charles Wang during a circumcision at Jan's private Garden Grove clinic on Feb. 27, 2024, and have charged him with felony involuntary manslaughter. A toxicology report reportedly detected high levels of Demerol, and the Orange County coroner later updated the cause of death to bronchopneumonia due to acute Demerol intoxication. Jan pleaded not guilty on Feb. 19 and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on May 1, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A Superior Court order dated Feb. 19, 2026, prohibits Jan from practicing medicine in California during the pendency of the criminal case, as a condition of his bail. That order was filed in Orange County Superior Court and is on file with the Medical Board of California. The written order explicitly bars Jan from practicing in the state while the criminal matter proceeds.
Parents Say Doctor Dismissed Newborn's Warning Signs
The infant's parents, Yiqi Wang and Hongyu Lu, say they agreed to an early circumcision, then quickly grew alarmed when their son refused feedings, appeared lethargic, and became abnormally unresponsive. According to their court complaint, Jan told them those symptoms were “normal and not cause for concern” and did not take blood samples or order laboratory studies during a follow-up visit.
The baby was found unresponsive the following morning, taken to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, and later pronounced dead. The couple's lawsuit names Jan and South Coast Global Medical Center as defendants, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Charges and Court Timeline
The criminal and civil cases will proceed on separate tracks. The criminal case alleges felony involuntary manslaughter, while the civil complaint seeks damages for wrongful death, medical malpractice, and fraud. Jan has pleaded not guilty and remains entitled to the presumption of innocence as the cases move toward hearings and discovery.
The May 1 pretrial hearing is expected to set the next criminal docket dates and timelines for evidence exchange and witness testimony.
How Rare Are Fatal Outcomes?
Serious complications from medically performed neonatal circumcision are uncommon, and most adverse events are minor, while severe complications are rare. The American Academy of Pediatrics' policy and technical report on male circumcision notes that complications are “infrequent” and stresses informed consent and safe technique in clinical settings, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.
Attorneys on both sides will now begin discovery and exchanges of medical records and toxicology as the cases unfold. Local families and clinicians will be watching the May pretrial hearing for next steps and any further developments.
