Arizona Boy Pronounced Dead Found Alive in Hospital Morgue
The Facts
- An 18-month-old boy found face-down in a backyard pool in Gilbert, Arizona, during a Super Bowl gathering on Feb. 8 was pronounced dead at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center at 6:20 p.m., only to be discovered breathing in the hospital's cold room more than five hours later.
- A transporter from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office arrived at the hospital around 11:52 p.m. and found the toddler breathing. The child was then airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital for treatment.
- Two Gilbert police officers documented signs of life multiple times before the child was moved to the cold room. A nurse also reportedly told an officer she detected a pulse, but attending physician Dr. Aryan Toosi proceeded with the death declaration.
Sources Split
LEFT
CENTER
RIGHT
+2
ESTAB
CRIT
CENTER
PRO
ESTAB
The Spin
Narrative A
A doctor declared an 18-month-old dead despite nurses, family and police officers all flagging signs of life — and then dismissed every concern with stunning arrogance. Vincent spent over five hours in a hospital cold room while still breathing, and now faces lifelong medical consequences. Mercy Gilbert Medical Center needs to answer for how a living child was sent to the morgue after multiple people in that room raised alarms.
Narrative B
The focus on the doctor shouldn't overshadow the serious negligence that put this toddler in the pool in the first place. Gilbert police found a strong marijuana odor at the home and unsupervised access to the pool, which is why investigators are recommending charges against the parents. A child nearly died because of inadequate supervision, and that accountability matters just as much as what happened at the hospital.
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 7.17.1