An Arizona community is demanding answers after an 18-month-old toddler, mistakenly declared dead after a backyard pool accident, was discovered breathing in a hospital morgue hours later, according to multiple reports, citing authorities.
According to Gilbert police records obtained by ABC News and the KPNX-TV station, the incident reportedly began about 5:30 p.m. Feb. 8, when first responders rushed to a Gilbert home after 911 calls from relatives. Paramedics performed life-saving measures on the unconscious child before transporting him to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, according to CBS News.
Despite emergency efforts, the attending physician — identified in the report as Dr. Aryan Toosi — pronounced the boy dead at 6:20 p.m.
However, two Gilbert police officers noticed potential signs of life several times before the child was moved to the hospital's "cold room," according to police documents and bodycam footage obtained by KPNX-TV. When an officer questioned the declaration, the doctor reportedly dismissed the concern. According to CBS News, the doctor said, "Please do your thing and let me do my thing. I went to medical school for a reason."
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The error went unnoticed for almost five hours until a team from the medical examiner's office arrived at the morgue. When authorities discovered the toddler was breathing, they immediately organized an emergency airlift to rush the toddler to Phoenix Children's Hospital, CBS News reported, citing the police report.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center is seen April 18, 2020, in Gilbert, Ariz.
Medical scrutiny and response
After the incident, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center issued a statement to CBS News, calling it a "heartbreaking situation." The medical facility confirmed it launched a thorough internal review of all aspects of the care provided.
USA Today contacted the prosecutor's office and Gilbert police for comment on the case, as well as Mercy Gilbert Medical Center for an update on the results of the internal review.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Judy Melinek noted to CBS News that while such cases are incredibly rare, they usually occur due to shallow, intermittent breathing or policy failures.
While the medical response faces scrutiny, law enforcement is focused on the events leading up to the near-drowning. According to CBS News, Gilbert police officially recommended criminal negligence charges against the boy's parents following a detailed walkthrough of the home.
During the initial response, investigators who processed the scene reported a strong odor of marijuana in the residence, CBS News reported, and detectives found open doors that allowed the toddler completely unsupervised access to the backyard pool area where he was found.
According to ABC News, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is reviewing the police findings to determine whether to formally charge the parents.
