'Moment Of Silence'... Then A Miracle? Arizona Toddler Declared Dead After Drowning Found Alive Later

Last Updated:July 09, 2026, 12:33 IST

The incident occurred while the family had gathered at the home to watch the Super Bowl. Gilbert police arrived at around 17:30 MST, after receiving a report of a drowning.

An 18-month-old child who was found unresponsive in a swimming pool in Arizona and later declared dead was discovered alive hours later in a hospital’s “cold room", according to a newly released police report cited by the BBC.

The toddler’s family called emergency services after finding him face down in the pool at a home in Gilbert, a suburb of Phoenix, on February 8.

First responders reached the spot and carried out life-saving efforts before taking the child to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. He was pronounced dead around an hour later.

According to the police report, officers informed a hospital doctor, Dr Aryan Toosi, that they had noticed signs of life. However, Toosi allegedly responded, “Please do your thing and let me do my thing."

“I went to medical school for a reason," Toosi said, according to the report.

The incident occurred while the family had gathered at the home to watch the Super Bowl. Gilbert police arrived at around 17:30 MST (00:30 GMT), after receiving a report of a drowning.

The child was taken to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center and was declared dead at 18:20.

“If there’s no objections, I’d like to call time of death," Toosi said, according to police bodycam footage obtained by a local NBC News affiliate.

“Time of death 18:20. Moment of silence," the doctor added.

However, about five hours later, a transporter from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office reportedly found that the child was still breathing while preparing to move the body.

The toddler was then taken to another hospital, where he recovered and was later discharged.

The police report did not include the child’s medical records, leaving details of what happened unclear.

Dr Toosi’s attorney, Scott Holden, told the BBC, “Out of courtesy to the family and patient confidentiality, we respectfully decline to make a statement at this time."

Police have called for negligence charges against the parents. Investigators said they detected a strong smell of marijuana at the home, leading them to suspect that the child may have accessed the pool without supervision.

Mercy Gilbert Medical Center said it 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 described the incident as “a heartbreaking situation."

News world 'Moment Of Silence'... Then A Miracle? Arizona Toddler Declared Dead After Drowning Found Alive Later

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