Arizona Toddler Declared Dead Found Alive in Morgue; Parents Face Negligence Charges

An 18-month-old boy from Arizona was declared dead after a near-drowning incident but was discovered breathing five hours later in a hospital morgue. Police have recommended child negligence charges against the parents.

Arizona Toddler Declared Dead Found Alive in Morgue; Parents Face Negligence Charges

An 18-month-old child from the state of Arizona was pronounced dead by a physician following a near-drowning incident in February, only to be discovered alive several hours later inside a hospital morgue refrigerator.

Emergency responders were summoned on February 8 to a residence in Gilbert, near Phoenix, following a drowning report. The toddler was located in a backyard swimming pool and resuscitated before being transported to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where a doctor declared him deceased.

According to law enforcement documents, two police officers from Gilbert repeatedly indicated they had observed vital signs in the child. When one officer voiced concerns again, physician Aryan Toosi allegedly responded: "You do your job, and I'll do mine. I went to medical school for a reason." The child was then placed in refrigeration. Five hours after being pronounced dead, staff from the medical examiner's office arrived to collect the body and noticed the toddler was breathing. He was immediately transferred to another hospital to continue treatment.

The Gilbert Police Department has recommended that prosecutors file child negligence charges against the parents. Investigators noted a strong odor of marijuana inside the home and stated the front door had been left open, allowing the child unsupervised access to the pool.

Mercy Gilbert Medical Center issued a statement indicating it conducted a thorough review of all treatment circumstances to determine what occurred and implement changes to improve patient care. The facility described the incident as tragic but did not disclose further details.

Forensic pathology specialist Judy Melinek of San Francisco commented that cases where individuals are found alive after being declared deceased are extremely uncommon, though such incidents do happen.

Source: 24ur.com

Source: 24ur