In brief
An 18‑month‑old toddler in Gilbert, Arizona, found face‑down in a pool, survived and was declared dead, but later found breathing in a hospital cold room. Police report says first responders saw signs of life before the infant was transported to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center where he was declared dead. Months later a medical examiner arrived and discovered the child still alive, flying him to a second hospital where he recovered and was released. The case raises questions about emergency response protocols and attorney comments, and the county mayor is considering negligence charges against the parents.
A toddler turned a tragedy into a near‑miracle when a child in Gilbert, Arizona, declared dead after a drowning incident was found alive in a hospital cold room.
Life‑saving measures were put in place by first responders when the child was located face‑down in a pool on 8 February. The family, who had gathered to watch the Super Bowl, called police after finding the boy in distress.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center received the infant at 1700 MST and, an hour later, pronounced him dead at 1820 MST. Police officers, however, report that they observed signs of life and informed Dr. Aryan Toosi.
“Please do your thing and let me do my thing,” the doctor allegedly said when asked to reassess the patient. Dr. Toosi, standing for his medical training, responded, “I went to medical school for a reason.”
Body‑cam footage obtained by a local NBC affiliate confirms that a transporter from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived five hours later and discovered the child breathing. He was then flown to another hospital where the infant recovered and was subsequently released.
The police report leaves medical records missing, creating uncertainty about the exact sequence of events. Dr. Toosi’s attorney, Scott Holden, has indicated that “there is much more to this case, both factually and medically, than has been reported thus far.”
Investigators are recommending negligence charges against the parents, citing a strong smell of marijuana at the residence as evidence of unsupervised access to the pool. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has not yet announced whether charges will be filed.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center issued a statement expressing that a thorough review of the care was conducted to understand what occurred and to make meaningful changes. The hospital called the situation “heart‑breaking” and has declined to release further details.
