Shock in Arizona: An 18‑month‑old was declared dead after a drowning incident, only to be discovered alive in a hospital morgue’s cold room.
The family's frantic 911 call came after they found the toddler face down in a suburban pool on 8 February. First responders arrived around 5:30 PM MST, performed life‑saving measures, and rushed the child to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
A hospital physician, Dr Aryan Toosi, confirmed that the child was actually still alive—an observation the police report highlighted when officers first spoke to him. The doctor’s brief line from body‑cam footage read, "Please do your thing and let me do my thing," and later, "Time of death 18:20. Moment of silence."
The child was pronounced dead at 6:20 PM MST, but five hours later a medical examiner’s transporter found the toddler still breathing. Authorities then sent her to a different hospital where she recovered and was released.
Details about the patient’s medical records are still missing, leaving many questions. The doctor’s attorney declined to comment out of respect for privacy, but police now consider negligence charges against the parents.
Investigators also noted a strong smell of marijuana at the home, raising doubts about whether the child had unsupervised access to the pool. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has not yet decided if criminal charges will be filed.
Mercy Gilbert released a statement saying the hospital will review all care aspects to improve safety, calling the situation "heartbreaking." The hospital declined to share more details at this time.
