An 18-month-old boy in Arizona who was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in a swimming pool was later discovered to be alive in the hospital's morgue, or "cold room", according to a newly released police report. The incident, which occurred on 8 February in the Phoenix-area suburb of Gilbert, raises serious questions about the medical care provided, particularly as police officers reportedly told the attending physician they had seen signs of life before the child was declared dead. The case has drawn attention both to the hospital's conduct and to the circumstances at the family home.

The child was found face down in the pool at around 17:30 MST while relatives had gathered to watch the NFL Super Bowl. First responders performed life-saving measures before he was taken to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where Dr Aryan Toosi pronounced him dead at 18:20, reportedly dismissing officers' observations by saying, "please do your thing and let me do my thing." A transporter from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office arrived five hours later and found the boy still breathing; he was flown to another hospital, recovered and has since been released. Police are recommending negligence charges against the parents, citing a strong smell of marijuana at the home and possible unsupervised pool access, though the Maricopa County Attorney's Office has not said whether it will press charges, and the hospital has declined to release further details.