An 18-month-old boy was discovered alive in the morgue of a Gilbert, Arizona, hospital hours after a physician declared him dead. The child was transported to Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center on February 8 after being retrieved from a family swimming pool. Gilbert is located approximately 11 miles northwest of Queen Creek.
According to a police report and body camera footage obtained by ABC 15, a doctor at the facility presumed the toddler had drowned. The report alleges that despite observations by nurses and police officers indicating the child was alive, the physician maintained the death pronouncement. The child was officially pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m. on that date.
The police report details interactions between officers and medical staff regarding the boy's condition. One officer wrote that a nurse informed them she had detected a pulse. When the officer attempted to relay this information to the doctor, the physician allegedly dismissed the concerns. The report quotes the officer as writing that the doctor stated he held the medical degree and instructed the officer to allow him to proceed with his duties.
The report further alleges that air was audible and visible as the child began to gasp. Following the discovery of life signs, medical testing, including an MRI, confirmed the boy had survived the near-drowning incident. The report states the child sustained permanent brain damage as a result.
In response to the incident, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center issued a statement describing the situation as heartbreaking. The hospital said it conducted a thorough review of the care provided to identify areas for improvement. The statement emphasized that patient safety is a priority and noted that the facility continues to work with the family and their representatives. The hospital declined to discuss specific details due to patient privacy regulations.
