A toddler declared dead after a near-drowning in February was discovered alive in a hospital morgue five hours after his arrival, according to newly released police records from Gilbert, Arizona.
The 18-month-old boy was pulled from a backyard pool on February 8 around 5:30 p.m. after relatives called 911 in panic. First responders performed life-saving measures at the scene before transporting him to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead roughly an hour after arrival.
Officers on scene noted possible signs of life multiple times before the child was placed in the hospital's cold room, records show. Despite these observations, the boy remained in the morgue until a medical examiner's team arrived approximately five hours later and found him breathing. He was then flown to another facility and ultimately survived.
The case has raised serious questions about hospital protocols. At one point during treatment, Dr. Aryan Toosi told an officer: "Please do your thing and let me do my thing. I went to medical school for a reason," according to the documents.
Gilbert police are recommending negligence charges against the parents. Investigators discovered a strong odor of marijuana at the home and found open doors that could have allowed the child unsupervised access to the pool.
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center issued a brief statement characterizing the incident as "a heartbreaking situation" and said the hospital had "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 hospital declined to elaborate further.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is reviewing the case for potential charges and has declined additional comment. Scott Holden, the attorney representing Dr. Toosi, indicated there are aspects of the case not yet reported publicly, stating there is "much more to this case, both factually and medically, than has been reported thus far."
A GoFundMe page created to support the family with medical expenses notes that the boy, referred to as "baby Vincent," will require extensive therapy. The page describes him as a "miracle fighter."
Author James Rodriguez: "This case demands accountability and a hard look at how hospitals manage critical patients, especially when initial assessments prove catastrophically wrong."
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