NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk-based pediatric doctor is facing criminal charges as well as civil penalties, following accusations stemming from a hair transplant procedure that allegedly went wrong earlier this year.
Kent Reifschneider, 50, is charged with one count of conspiracy to perform an invasive procedure without a license and felony performing an invasive procedure without a license.
According to a spokesperson for the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Reifschneider is a pediatric endocrinologist employed by Children's Specialty Group, PLLC, which is "an independent practice that CHKD contracts with to provide medical subspecialty services to CHKD patients."
"While this indictment is completely unrelated to care provided to CHKD patients, CHKD will comply with all aspects of the investigation," they added.
Dr. Reifschneider is on administrative leave.
According to booking information, Dr. Reifschneider was arrested Nov. 27 and posted bail the same day.
The indictments of his arrest reveal the charges stem from incidents "on or about February 2."
'Tremendous amount of pain'
A civil lawsuit filed in late October alleges medical malpractice and violations of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act over a hair transplant procedure on February 2, 2023.
The complaint reads that a Newport News man agreed to a hair transplant procedure, after he was initially told "a licensed surgeon would perform his surgery" at the Virginia Surgical Hair Center in Virginia Beach.
On February 2, the man "briefly met Defendant Kent Reifschneider", but was allegedly "not in the VSHC property, but rather on location at CHKD actively treating patients."
"Kent Reifschneider made it appear he was going to participate and be a part of the process, made him [client] feel more comfortable. But had nothing to do other than that appearance," Matt Weinberg said, an attorney at Inman & Strickler, P.L.C.
The complaint reads that in early March, the plaintiff's face "revealed significant and permanent scarring." By mid-March, the complaint reads the plaintiff's "pain, redness, bumps and swelling had not receded."
“[Client] went through an hours long surgery, there was no doctor present, which is against regulation. Not even a nurse practitioner present, which would have been able to perform an invasive procedure if there was a doctor overseeing. We later learned Reifschneider was actually seeing patients at CHKD that day, but he represented, 'Oh I’m going to be a part of this surgery’ and he was not," Weinberg said.
Four people are listed as defendants in the civil lawsuit, including Reifschneider.
One of the other defendants listed in the civil lawsuit is a "Danielle Kirby Mctyre." The Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office confirms a "Danielle Kirby Reifschneider" is also charged with one count of "Conspiracy to Perform Invasive Procedure Without a License."
Weinberg told 13News Now to their understanding, the two are married.
In total monetary relief, the plaintiff in the civil lawsuit is seeking more than $10 million in damages, alleging "carelessness" and negligence, and that the actions of Dr. Reifschneider "enabled the hair surgical center to perform a surgery not within an acceptable standard of care."
