An 18-month-old Gilbert boy was discovered breathing in a hospital morgue hours after a physician at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center pronounced him dead. Gilbert is located approximately 11 miles northwest of Queen Creek.
The incident began around 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 8 during a Super Bowl gathering. Police reports indicate the toddler was pulled from a backyard swimming pool after floating face down for roughly 10 to 15 minutes. A 911 recording from the scene captures a relative describing the emergency and noting that family members were performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. First responders transported the child to the hospital.
At 6:20 p.m., a doctor declared the boy dead, and his parents said their goodbyes. Approximately five hours later, while the parents were being questioned by detectives at a police station, they were informed that their son was still alive.
Police records outline the sequence of events leading to the error. As a doctor prepared to notify the parents, a nurse reportedly stated the child had a pulse. The report alleges the doctor responded arrogantly, asserting his medical credentials and instructing staff to let him proceed. The doctor then directed hospital personnel to cease life-saving measures. Several nurses left the emergency room in tears following the declaration of death.
Both the parents and police observed the child gasping for air. Nurses characterized these breaths as agonal breathing. An officer heard another gasp an hour after the time of death was called. The child was moved to the morgue, where medical examiner staff found him breathing just before midnight. He was subsequently transported by air to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
