A shocking incident in the US has revealed that an 18-month-old toddler, pronounced dead following a drowning, was later found to be alive in a hospital's 'cold room'. The child, discovered unresponsive in a swimming pool at a Phoenix-area home in Gilbert, Arizona, on 8 February, was initially transported to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center where he was declared deceased an hour after police were called to the scene.
According to a newly released police report, first responders had performed life-saving measures before the child's arrival at the hospital. Despite officers reportedly observing signs of life, a physician, Dr Aryan Toosi, declared the time of death at 18:20 MST. The report details a conversation where the doctor stated, "I went to medical school for a reason," when officers mentioned their observations.
Hours later, a transporter from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office arrived at the hospital and made the astonishing discovery that the toddler was still breathing. The child was immediately flown to another hospital for further care, where he ultimately recovered and has since been discharged. The medical records for the child were not included in the police report, leaving some details of the incident unclear.
In the aftermath, Gilbert police are recommending negligence charges against the child's parents. Investigators noted a strong smell of marijuana at the home, leading them to believe the child may have had unsupervised access to the pool. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office has not yet announced whether it will pursue these charges.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center has acknowledged the incident, describing it as a "heartbreaking situation." The hospital confirmed it conducted "a thorough review of all aspects of the care provided to learn what happened and to make meaningful changes to strengthen our care." The doctor's attorney, Scott Holden, declined to comment, citing patient confidentiality.