An 18-month-old boy is alive after being mistakenly pronounced dead at a hospital in Gilbert, Arizona, which is located approximately 11 miles northwest of Queen Creek. The incident began on Super Bowl Sunday when the toddler was discovered in his family’s swimming pool. Emergency responders transported the child to Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, where he was declared deceased despite objections from responding police officers who observed signs of life.
According to a police report, officers noticed the child exhibiting physical responses while medical personnel attempted resuscitation. A police officer attempted to alert the attending physician about these signs, but the doctor reportedly dismissed the concern. The report states that the physician told the officer he had the medical degree and expertise to make the determination, instructing the officer to allow him to proceed with his duties. The officer also noted hearing a nurse mention that the toddler had a pulse.
The report details that over the course of an hour, officers observed what appeared to be air escaping the child’s body, accompanied by sounds resembling gasping. Despite these observations, the child was moved to the hospital morgue. While there, the officer again witnessed what looked like a gasp or release of air nearly an hour after the initial declaration of death. Audio recordings from the scene captured an officer instructing the family to say their goodbyes to the child.
Several hours later, a medical examiner determined that the toddler was still alive. ABC 15 reported that an MRI scan revealed the child suffered brain damage and will require lifelong care. The hospital issued a statement describing the event as a heartbreaking situation. Mercy Gilbert Medical Center stated that it immediately conducted a thorough review of the care provided to identify what occurred and to implement changes to strengthen patient safety. The hospital noted that it cannot discuss specific details due to patient privacy laws and confirmed it is working with the family and their representatives.
